Liberty Director Shami Chakrabarti said:
"Another year and another Queen's speech dominated by the Home Office. It seems that the new Home Secretary thinks his department is perfectly ‘fit’ for the ‘purpose’ of churning out more empty legislative sound bites.”
“Tough talk brings rough justice. Rough justice if you're evicted because your big brother's been in trouble; rough justice when you're accused of serious crime and denied a jury trial; rough justice when migrants are always equated with crime."
"Not a word about allowing fair terrorist trials with the aid of intercept evidence. Not a word about proper compensation for the victims of terrorist atrocities abroad. Just more executive power and a little more freedom ebbing away."
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NOTES TO EDITORS
1) Since 1997, the Government has introduced 36 crime, police and justice bills, six anti-terror bills, and five asylum and immigration bills listed below.
2) Crime and justice issues have been mentioned in every Queen’s speech since 1997, also listed below.
3) Liberty’s Parliamentary Briefings are available on
www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk Crime, Justice, Police (36)
2006
Police and Justice Act 2006
Criminal Defence Service Act 2006 c. 9
Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 c. 38
2005
Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 c.15
Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2005
2004
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 c.28
Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2004 c.4
2003
Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 c.38
Courts Act 2003 c.39
Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 c.32
Criminal Justice Act 2003 c.44 *
Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003 c.6
Sexual Offences Act 2003 c.42 *
2002
Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 c.26
Police Reform Act 2002 c.30
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 c.29
2001
Criminal Defence Service (Advice and Assistance) Act 2001 c.4
Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 c.16
International Criminal Court Act 2001 c.17
Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 c.3
2000
Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 c.43
Crown Prosecution Inspectorate Act 2000 c.10
Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 c.32
Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 c.6
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 c.
Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000 c.44
Football Disorder Act 2000 c.25
1999
Access to Justice Act 1999 c.22
Criminal Cases Review (Insanity) Act 1999 c.25
Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 c.23
Football (Offences and Disorder) Act 1999 c.21
1998
Crime and Disorder Act 1998
Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) (Amendment) Act 1998
Criminal Procedure (Intermediate Diets) (Scotland) Act 1998 c.10
Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 c.35
Crime and Disorder Act 1998
Terrorism (6)
2006
Terrorism Act 2006 c. 11
Terrorism (Northern Ireland) Act 2006 c.4
2005
Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 c.2
2001
Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 c.24
2000
The Terrorism Act 2000 c.11
1998
Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998 c.40
Asylum/Immigration/Nationality (5)
2006
Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 c. 13
2004
Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 c.19
2002
Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 c.41
1999
Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 c.33
1997
Special Immigration Appeals Commission Act 1997 c.68
The Queen’s Speeches 1997 – 2005: Crime
2005
"A Bill will be introduced to give police and local communities new powers to tackle knives, guns and alcohol-related violence.”
2004
"My Government recognises that we live in a time of global uncertainty with an increased threat from international terrorism and organised crime. Measures to extend opportunity will be accompanied by legislation to increase security for all.”
"My Government have always recognised the importance of clean and safe neighbourhoods. There will be further legislation to tackle anti-social behaviour.”
2003
"My Government will continue to make the reduction of crime and the fear of crime a priority. The Government will be implementing the Criminal Justice Act to ensure the effective punishment of dangerous and persistent offenders. Firm action will continue to be taken against anti-social behaviour by strengthening the powers available to schools and local authorities.”
2002
"A Bill will be introduced to reform sentencing arrangements and criminal procedures.”
"Sentencing will be reformed to ensure that the punishment is appropriate for the offender. New types of sentence will be introduced to protect the public from dangerous offenders, help reduce re-offending and deal with young offenders.”
"The Bill will also allow retrials for those acquitted of serious offences where new and compelling evidence emerges. It will also simplify the rules of evidence to allow judge and jury to hear all the facts, including relevant previous convictions of a defendant.”
"Legislation will also be introduced to reform the courts system. It will bring together magistrates' courts and the Crown Court to work more effectively under a single organisation. New sanctions will allow courts to enforce the payment of fines more efficiently.”
"My Government will introduce a Bill to tackle anti-social behaviour that damages communities.”
"A Bill will also be introduced to improve international co-operation in tackling crime, including drugs trafficking, and to modernise the arrangements for international mutual assistance to catch criminals.”
2001
"Legislation will be brought forward to reform sentencing and rules of evidence, with measures to tackle corruption and sex offenders.”
"A Bill will be introduced to increase powers against money laundering, establish a criminal assets recovery agency, and make it easier to recover the proceeds of crime and drugs.”
"Legislation will be brought forward to help the police fight crime, ensure that they can co-operate effectively across police force boundaries and establish a new complaints system. Legislation to reform the criminal courts system will be drafted in the light of the forthcoming recommendations from the review by Lord Justice Auld.”
2000
"My Government is determined to combat all aspects of crime to protect all members of our society. My Government will introduce legislation to modernise and improve law enforcement by, for example, tackling disorderly conduct. Legislation will be introduced to regulate the private security industry.”
1999
"My Government are determined to reduce crime and improve public protection.”
"My Government are determined to combat terrorism. A Bill will be introduced to modernise and make permanent the powers available to respond to all forms of terrorism.”
"A Bill will be introduced to ensure that the interception of communications, and the use of other intrusive techniques, continues to be regulated for the protection both of the rights of individuals and of society as a whole.”
1998
"My Government will continue to tackle crime and its causes, and to modernise the justice system. A Bill will be introduced to modernise the youth courts and to give greater protection for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses in criminal cases.”
1997
“Legislation will be brought forward to amend criminal law and to combat crime, including reform of the youth justice system and measures against anti-social behaviour.”
