MPs set out terror Bill amendments

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An influential committee suggested a swathe of amendments to the Counter-Terrorism Bill in a move that could form the focus of an expected backbench rebellion over the plans.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown will face the first major test of his Parliamentary authority when MPs vote on the Bill later this month, and the document could prove crucial in that test.

The report by the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) said the Government's proposed system for pre-charge detention was "confused" and "fundamentally flawed".

JCHR chairman Andrew Dismore MP said: "Not only have we found no clear evidence of a need to go beyond the current 28 day maximum in the near future, we have also demonstrated in a series of reports that there is now a comprehensive alternative package of measures which together protect the public, whilst also reducing the risk of alienating minority communities.

"We are astonished - and extremely disappointed - that the Government have failed even to consider our proposed alternative.

"I will be tabling amendments to give effect to the committee's recommendations and to enable the Commons to consider our alternative package of measures, which we believe would be more effective in protecting the public."

The alternative package set out in previous JCHR reports would include lowering the charging threshold for terror cases, introducing new offences, allowing intercept evidence in court and imposing surveillance on suspects.

Some of these alternative proposals have already been taken forward by ministers.

The report said: "Taking these measures in combination, we do not think it can be said that there is really any gap in public protection which warrants taking the extraordinary step proposed by the Government to increase pre-charge detention up to a maximum of 42 days."