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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Call for prison bugging inquiry | Call for prison bugging inquiry |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have called for an inquiry into allegations that hundreds of lawyers are bugged on prison visits. | The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have called for an inquiry into allegations that hundreds of lawyers are bugged on prison visits. |
| The Daily Telegraph, quoting an unnamed source, said conversations between prisoners and their lawyers were routinely being recorded across the UK. | |
| The Ministry of Justice said monitoring was a police matter. | The Ministry of Justice said monitoring was a police matter. |
| An inquiry is under way into earlier claims that a Labour MP's visits to Woodhill prison were secretly recorded. | An inquiry is under way into earlier claims that a Labour MP's visits to Woodhill prison were secretly recorded. |
| Counter-terrorism officers are said to have secretly recorded MP Sadiq Khan's conversations with a constituent - terrorist suspect Babar Ahmad - in the Buckinghamshire prison in 2005 and 2006. | Counter-terrorism officers are said to have secretly recorded MP Sadiq Khan's conversations with a constituent - terrorist suspect Babar Ahmad - in the Buckinghamshire prison in 2005 and 2006. |
| His case sparked controversy because it was suggested it may have been in breach of the Wilson Doctrine which bars the bugging of MPs. | His case sparked controversy because it was suggested it may have been in breach of the Wilson Doctrine which bars the bugging of MPs. |
| Infringement of rights | Infringement of rights |
| The Daily Telegraph report claims that as well as terror suspects, murderers and category-A prisoners being held across Britain were also being targeted for recordings. | The Daily Telegraph report claims that as well as terror suspects, murderers and category-A prisoners being held across Britain were also being targeted for recordings. |
| Shadow home secretary David Davis said he was writing to the Justice Secretary Jack Straw demanding a full-scale investigation and said ministers must have been aware. | Shadow home secretary David Davis said he was writing to the Justice Secretary Jack Straw demanding a full-scale investigation and said ministers must have been aware. |
| "It is inconceivable that this action has taken place without ministerial approval," he said. | "It is inconceivable that this action has taken place without ministerial approval," he said. |
| If confirmed, I think it's the most astonishing and foolish policy that is going to prove to be totally counterproductive and quite calamitous Chris Huhne, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman | If confirmed, I think it's the most astonishing and foolish policy that is going to prove to be totally counterproductive and quite calamitous Chris Huhne, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman |
| "Whilst there can be reasons for eavesdropping on legal meetings, it is such a serious infringement of people's rights that there has to be a very good reason. | "Whilst there can be reasons for eavesdropping on legal meetings, it is such a serious infringement of people's rights that there has to be a very good reason. |
| "It can put the trial at risk which means that serious crimes may go unpunished." | "It can put the trial at risk which means that serious crimes may go unpunished." |
| Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said if the latest allegations were true, fundamental legal procedures have been breached. | Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said if the latest allegations were true, fundamental legal procedures have been breached. |
| "We need an immediate inquiry into exactly what is going on. | "We need an immediate inquiry into exactly what is going on. |
| "If that confirms these allegations, I think it's the most astonishing and foolish policy that is going to prove to be totally counterproductive and quite calamitous." | "If that confirms these allegations, I think it's the most astonishing and foolish policy that is going to prove to be totally counterproductive and quite calamitous." |
| 'Furious reaction' | 'Furious reaction' |
| Senior British lawyer Geoffrey Robertson QC said if the claims were true, they could lead to violent offenders being released. | Senior British lawyer Geoffrey Robertson QC said if the claims were true, they could lead to violent offenders being released. |
| "The end result... is that these cases will have to be brought back to court and in my view the courts will react with such fury as a matter of principle, those whose conversations were bugged will have to be let out," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "The end result... is that these cases will have to be brought back to court and in my view the courts will react with such fury as a matter of principle, those whose conversations were bugged will have to be let out," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay said: "The only surprise I have is that people are surprised. | Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay said: "The only surprise I have is that people are surprised. |
| "I and others have tried to draw attention to the abuse of powers by senior police officers over recent years, often only to be mocked. | "I and others have tried to draw attention to the abuse of powers by senior police officers over recent years, often only to be mocked. |
| "In my view this indefensible situation arises from the cocktail of supine ministers and the total absence of any Parliamentary oversight of the security and intelligence services." | "In my view this indefensible situation arises from the cocktail of supine ministers and the total absence of any Parliamentary oversight of the security and intelligence services." |
| 'Co-operation vital' | 'Co-operation vital' |
| Former High Court judge Sir Christopher Rose, the chief surveillance commissioner, has been asked by Mr Straw to conduct an inquiry into claims made about Mr Khan. | Former High Court judge Sir Christopher Rose, the chief surveillance commissioner, has been asked by Mr Straw to conduct an inquiry into claims made about Mr Khan. |
| A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said Sir Christopher would report back in due course. | A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said Sir Christopher would report back in due course. |
| She added that police monitoring operations were a matter for the police and were undertaken in line with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. | She added that police monitoring operations were a matter for the police and were undertaken in line with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. |
| The Prison Service might grant the police permission to operate in prison providing there were no concerns about order or control and such co-operation was vital in the fight against serious crime and terrorism, she said. | The Prison Service might grant the police permission to operate in prison providing there were no concerns about order or control and such co-operation was vital in the fight against serious crime and terrorism, she said. |
| "It would not usually be appropriate for the Prison Service to question the authorisations granted to the police to monitor an individual; nor would it expect the police to share details of the intelligence cases underpinning its monitoring operations," she said. | "It would not usually be appropriate for the Prison Service to question the authorisations granted to the police to monitor an individual; nor would it expect the police to share details of the intelligence cases underpinning its monitoring operations," she said. |