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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Secret inquests plans 'dropped' | Secret inquests plans 'dropped' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Plans which would have let ministers order inquests to be held in private on security grounds have been dropped from the Counter-Terrorism Bill. | Plans which would have let ministers order inquests to be held in private on security grounds have been dropped from the Counter-Terrorism Bill. |
| The clause would have allowed ministers to remove juries, relatives and the public, from hearings. | The clause would have allowed ministers to remove juries, relatives and the public, from hearings. |
| The change was intended to stop sensitive information, such as details of phone-taps, becoming known. | The change was intended to stop sensitive information, such as details of phone-taps, becoming known. |
| The Home Office said the plans had not been completely dropped and would be in a "forthcoming" coroners' reforms bill. | The Home Office said the plans had not been completely dropped and would be in a "forthcoming" coroners' reforms bill. |
| Opposition parties say it is the second government climb down on the Counter-Terrorism Bill - on Monday ministers dropped the controversial proposal to detain terrorist suspects for up to 42 days before charge. | Opposition parties say it is the second government climb down on the Counter-Terrorism Bill - on Monday ministers dropped the controversial proposal to detain terrorist suspects for up to 42 days before charge. |
| De Menezes case | De Menezes case |
| Ministers had argued that the inquest powers would be used selectively and that the majority of inquests would still have taken place in public. | Ministers had argued that the inquest powers would be used selectively and that the majority of inquests would still have taken place in public. |
| But security minister Lord West has written to his counterparts on the opposition benches to say that the government will vote with them to remove the clause from the bill. | But security minister Lord West has written to his counterparts on the opposition benches to say that the government will vote with them to remove the clause from the bill. |
| The plans would also have allowed the home secretary to replace coroners with their own appointees as well as preventing a jury from being called for "reasons of national security". | The plans would also have allowed the home secretary to replace coroners with their own appointees as well as preventing a jury from being called for "reasons of national security". |
| The Counter-Terrorism Bill was no place for debating this extremely controversial measure Dominic GrieveShadow home secretary class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7207659.stm">Terror bill: What's left class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7668477.stm">Ministers shelve 42-day detention | |
| But opposition parties and civil liberties campaigners said the reforms would set a dangerous precedent and pointed out it was not restricted to terrorist cases. | But opposition parties and civil liberties campaigners said the reforms would set a dangerous precedent and pointed out it was not restricted to terrorist cases. |
| Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights had warned it could affect cases like that of Jean Charles de Menezes, shot dead in London by police who mistook him for a terrorist or of British servicemen killed by US forces in Iraq. | Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights had warned it could affect cases like that of Jean Charles de Menezes, shot dead in London by police who mistook him for a terrorist or of British servicemen killed by US forces in Iraq. |
| The committee's Labour chairman Andrew Dismore had said inquests had to be seen to be "totally independent" and where state authorities were involved there had to be accountability. | The committee's Labour chairman Andrew Dismore had said inquests had to be seen to be "totally independent" and where state authorities were involved there had to be accountability. |
| 7 July bombings | 7 July bombings |
| And some relatives of those who died in the 7 July bombings in London had said they were worried about the measures - they wanted to use the inquests to ask what the police and MI5 knew about the bombers before the attacks. | And some relatives of those who died in the 7 July bombings in London had said they were worried about the measures - they wanted to use the inquests to ask what the police and MI5 knew about the bombers before the attacks. |
| Pressure group Inquest welcomed the decision to drop the plans saying the measure had been put forward without consultation and would have reduced public scrutiny of the legal system. | Pressure group Inquest welcomed the decision to drop the plans saying the measure had been put forward without consultation and would have reduced public scrutiny of the legal system. |
| This second climb down in two days is long overdue Chris HuhneLiberal Democrats | |
| Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve welcomed the move. He added: "The Counter-Terrorism Bill was no place for debating this extremely controversial measure, which should be in the Coroners Bill. | |
| "It is vital that the independence and transparency of the coroners system is maintained - not undermined." | |
| For the Liberal Democrats, Chris Huhne also said changes to the coroners' courts should be in a separate bill. | |
| "This second climb down in two days is long overdue. I am delighted that ministers have recognised that they were on a hiding to nothing with these extraordinary clauses, and have now ditched them," he said. | |
| "It would have been far too convenient for the government to be able to hide a proper and independent inquiry into cases like the death of Jean Charles de Menezes or Dr David Kelly." | |
| Coroners must call an inquest into violent, unnatural or unexplained deaths in their districts. | |
| They are held in public and a jury must be convened if the death occurred in controversial circumstances, particularly where it involves the police or other agents of the state. | They are held in public and a jury must be convened if the death occurred in controversial circumstances, particularly where it involves the police or other agents of the state. |