(Lab) [V]...Security is a top priority for us. Our first
responsibility is to keep this country and our citizens safe. We
recognise the importance of our police and security services,
including the National Crime Agencyand thank them
for the vital work they undertake on our behalf. We also recognise
the importance of covert human intelligence sources and the results
they achieve. The director-general of MI5 has said:
“Since March 2017, MI5 and Counter-Terrorism Police have together
thwarted 27 terror attacks. Without the contribution of human
agents, be in no doubt, many of these attacks would not have been
prevented”...
(Con):...I believe that this Bill, which
provides an express power to authorise covert human intelligence
sources to participate in conduct that would otherwise constitute
a criminal offence, is long overdue. I say this as someone who
has been a member of the Counter Terrorism Command at the
Metropolitan Police. I was also a member of the National Crime
Squad, the forerunner of today’s National Crime Agency where I
ran a number of such operations. Some aspects of the Bill are
clearly unpalatable to Members of your Lordships’ House but it is
a Bill that, at long last, recognises the need to provide a
statutory power to authorise CHIS to participate in criminal
conduct when it is deemed necessary and proportionate to do
so...
(Lab Co-op): My Lords, from the
Opposition Front Bench I put on record my thanks to the police,
the security services, the National Crime Agency and the wider
law enforcement agencies for the work they do to keep us safe.
They often put themselves in harm’s way and at real risk. It is
important that they know they have our support and our thanks for
the work they do every day to protect us and to prevent crime and
loss of life...
The Minister of State, Home Office () (Con):...The noble Lord, , started his
speech by outlining the number of terrorist attacks that have
been thwarted since 2017. As he said, there have been 27, nine
every year. This activity saves lives. He also pointed out CHIS
activity in the NCA disruptions that we have
seen in the last year, as well as proscribed organisation
infiltration—as he said, the Bill brings into law things
that have been going on for years—and we thank all those
concerned.
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