Terrorism: Detainees

Mr. David Hamilton
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the people detained without charge on suspicion of terrorist offences since July 2006 were released (a) before 10 days, (b) between 11 and 20 days, (c) between 21 and 26 days, (d) on the 27th day and (e) on the 28th day.

Mr. McNulty
The 14 day detention period came into effect on 20 January 2004 and the maximum period of detention pre-charge was extended to 28 days with effect from 25 July 2006. The following table, compiled from police records, provides details, to date, of the numbers of individuals charged or released and held from between 14 to 15 days and through to 27 to 28 days. We do not collate statistics for the timescales requested.

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|Period of detention|Number of persons held|Charged|Released without charge|
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|14 to 15 days      |1                     |1      |—                      |
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|18 to 19 days      |1                     |1      |—                      |
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|19 to 20 days      |3                     |3      |—                      |
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|27 to 28 days      |6                     |3      |3                      |
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