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2005/06

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Government bills 2005/06 - Draft Bills

Terrorism Act

Key Benefits
The Terrorism Act received Royal Assent on 30 March, and came into force on 13 April 2006. The Act contains a substantial package of measures designed to strengthen the ability of the police and security services to combat terrorism in the UK. Key measures include the offences of encouragement to terrorism, acts preparatory to terrorism, and the widening of the grounds for fro proscription under the Terrorism Act 2000. The Act also and extending the maximum period permissible for detention under the Terrorism Act 2000. This provision came into force on 25 July 2006, following the publication of a revised Code of Practice. As the nature of terrorism changes, we must respond. The Act represents part of that response by amending the legal framework that exists on terrorism in line with the wishes of the law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

Act of Parliament

Explanatory Notes

Territorial Extent
United Kingdom

Additional information

This Bill is not a direct response to the 7th July attacks as it had been announced that new terrorism legislation would be forthcoming this autumn. However it does respond to those events in line with consultation with law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

A number of provisions in the Bill are required to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism, and the UN Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. Details of these provisions, and the requirements they meet, are contained in the Explanatory Notes.

Further documentation relating to the formulation of the Bill, including the correspondence between the Home Secretary and his Opposition colleagues, and a letter from the Metropolitan Police Counter-Terrorism Branch setting out the case for extending the maximum period for detention under the Terrorism Act 2000, is available on the Home Office website.

Home Office