Emergency bill on police bail

4th July 2011

Emergency legislation will be introduced to overcome a legal ruling that has stopped police granting bail to suspects for more than four days without either charging or releasing them.

The Police (Detention and Bail) Bill will be formally introduced tomorrow by home secretary Theresa May and MPs will be given the chance to examine the legislation from 6pm this evening.

The Bill will be rushed through the Commons on Thursday with the support of Labour.

Sir George Young, the leader of the Commons, announced the change to the parliamentary business in a statement this afternoon.

On May 19 a High Court judgment overturned 25 years of established practice where police bail suspects for long periods of time while they are under investigation.

The court ruled that time spent on bail contributed towards the maximum 96-hour limit of pre-charge detention.

Shadow leader of the Commons Hilary Benn told said the government had taken "far too long" to respond to the ruling.

Last week police minister Nick Herbert said the judgement "upsets a careful balance" and impeded the police in doing their job.

"We must not, cannot and will not ask the police to do their jobs with one hand tied behind their backs," he told MPs.

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