The Home Office Minister Damian Green stated that the order, which expires at midnight on 25 January 2011, will not be extended. It is expected that the findings of a full review of police counter-terrorism powers will be announced by Home Secretary Theresa May next week, including the Governments plans setting out the period of time that will be allowed to the police to interview suspected terrorists. Mr Green said today “In the interim I can announce that the Government will not be seeking to extend the order allowing the maximum 28-day limit, and accordingly the current order will lapse on January 25 and the maximum limit of pre-charge detention will from that time revert to 14 days.” Mr Green went on to say “This Government is clear that the power to detain terrorist suspects for up to 28 days before they were charged or released was meant to be an exceptional power. This was always Parliament’s intention. But under the last government it became the norm, with the renewal of 28 days repeatedly brought before the House. This was despite the power rarely being used. Mr Green disclosed that “Since July 2007 no-one has been held for longer than 14 days despite the many terrorists arrested since then. This is a testament to the efforts of our prosecutors, our police and our intelligence agencies.”

The announcement was welcomed by numerous MP’s who opposed the detention regime as Mr Green made his announcement.

 The order allowing the 28-day limit had been extended for six months in 2010 by the former Labour Givernment whilst a full review was carried out.