Commons debate SIs on counter-terrorism: 16 March 2015
16 March 2015
MPs debated motions to approve counter-terrorism statutory instruments relating to investigatory powers and immigration, in the House of Commons on Monday 16 March 2015.
The debate was opened by the Minister for Security and Immigration, James Brokenshire. Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Diana Johnson, responded on behalf of the Opposition.
The motions were agreed on question, without a vote.
- Watch Parliament TV: motions to approve counter-terrorism statutory instruments
- Read Commons Hansard: motions to approve counter-terrorism statutory instruments
- Read current Parliamentary material in Topics: Terrorism
Draft Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Aquisition and Disclosure of Communications Data: Code of Practice) Order 2015
- Read the Draft Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Aquisition and Disclosure of Communications Data: Code of Practice) Order 2015 (external site)
The draft Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Aquisition and Disclosure of Communications Data: Code of Practice) Order 2015 was laid on 4 March 2015 under the affirmative procedure. The instrument must be approved by the House of Commons and House of Lords before it can come into force.
Once approved the instrument will bring into force a code of practice to enhance safeguards and ensure clear guidance on best practice with respect to acquisition and retention of communications data.
Draft Retention of Communications Data (Code of practice) Order 2015
The draft Retention of Communications Data (Code of practice) Order 2015 was laid on 4 March 2015 under the affirmative procedure. The instrument must be approved by the House of Commons and House of Lords before it can come into force.
Once approved the instrument will bring into force a code of practice to enhance safeguards and ensure clear guidance on best practice with respect to acquisition and retention of communications data.
Draft Authority to Carry Scheme (Civil Penalties) Regulations 2015
The Draft Authority to Carry Scheme (Civil Penalties) Regulations 2015 were laid on 2 March 2015 under the affirmative procedure. The instrument must be approved by the House of Commons and House of Lords before it can come into force.
Once approved the instrument will create a civil penalty regime whereby the Secretary of State may require a carrier to pay a penalty if the carrier breaches any requirement of the Authority to Carry Scheme 2015 (the “Scheme”), which is brought into force by the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (Authority to Carry Scheme) Regulations 2015. The Scheme may be breached by a carrier in various ways, such as failing to provide the required passenger and crew information in the required manner and form by the required time, or failing to seek authority to carry a person to or from the UK, or by carrying a person after being refused authority to carry that person.
Related Information
Statutory Instruments
Statutory Instruments are a type of delegated legislation. Delegated legislation allows the Government to make changes to a law without needing to push through a completely new Act of Parliament.
The original Act (also known as primary legislation) would have provisions that allow for future delegated legislation to alter the law to differing degrees.
These changes range from the technical, like altering the level of a fine, to fleshing out Acts with greater detail; often an Act contains only a broad framework of its purpose and more complex content is added through delegated legislation.
Watching proceedings from the public gallery
UK residents and overseas visitors can watch proceedings in the House of Commons by visiting the public gallery.
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