Police and justice bill a missed opportunity - Featherstone

10.49.13am GMT Thu 26th Jan 2006

Liberal Democrat Policing Spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone MP with Police

Commenting on the publication of the Police and Justice Bill, Liberal Democrat Policing Spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone MP said "The Bill gives the Home Secretary carte blanche to meddle in the composition of police authorities without having to ask for Parliamentary approval. It gives absolutely no reassurance to those of us who fear the loss of local accountability under the police merger plans.

"The proposal for the police to be sent a list of every passenger on every domestic UK flight is a deeply worrying intrusion into people's private lives. It adds another building block in the construction of surveillance society.

"This Bill would have been a golden opportunity to reform the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act which currently bars many ex-offenders from finding work. The Government has been promising action on this since 2002. Instead of taking an important step to cut reoffending, they have chosen yet again to focus on centralising power."