The PTA and the National Joint Unit
01 January 1991
The PTA and the National Joint Unit
artdoc December=1991
In June Mildred Gordon, MP for Bow and Poplar, asked 12
parliamentary questions on the operation of the Prevention of
Terrorism Act (PTA). The outcome was as follows:
1. Information was provided - 4 questions
2. Information was not available - 3 questions
3. Information was not in the form requested - 1 question
3. Information was not held centrally and could be obtained only at
disproportionate cost - 4 questions.
The National Joint Unit.
There were 3 questions on the National Joint Unit. The first asked for
details on the number of searches made of the records held by the
National Joint Unit for the years 1987 to 1990. Previous figures had
been provided in the Annual Reports of the Chief Inspector of
Constabulary until 1986 when the practice was stopped. The Home
Secretary, Kenneth Baker, replied that the number of inquiries `made
of the records held by the National Joint Unit' was as follows:
1987 81,600
1988 77,474
1989 101,766
1990 83,753
As can be seen the number of inquiries reached a peak in 1989 with
over 100,000 inquiries. This meant that on average there were 278
checks everyday of the year or nearly 12 every hour.
The second question asked how many computerised records the
National Joint Unit holds on individuals for the control of terrorism in
connection with Northern Ireland affairs. The Home Secretary replied
that the information is not available in the form requested. This is
difficult to understand because in reply to the previous question the
Home Secretary noted that there were `records held by the National
Joint Unit'. If he can provide information on the number of searches
made, it is difficult to understand why he cannot provide information
on the total number of records on the database.
The third question was about the role of the Unit. He said: `The role
of the National Joint Unit at New Scotland Yard is to prepare, on
behalf of all police forces in Great Britain, applications to the
Secretary of State for extensions of detention and exclusion orders
under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989,
and to provide advice to police forces on the operation of the Act. The
unit is staffed by 17 police officers, most of whom are seconded to it
for short periods from provincial forces.
This is an incomplete answer. It makes no mention of the work, which
was the subject matter of the first two questions, namely responding to
requests for searches of the `records held by the National Joint Unit'.
If records are held, then it must also be the task of the NJU to collate
the information and compile the database with the information.
Women and the PTA.
One question asked for a break down of the number of detentions by
sex. This was provided for each quarter from the beginning of 1985.
From the beginning of 1985 to the end of 1990, 97 women were
detained, 33 at ports or airports and 64 inland compared with 929 men
of whom 486 were detained at ports and airports and 443 inland. Thus
10.4% of all PTA detainees are women. But this varies from 6% at
ports and airports to 13% inland.
This is the first time in the 17 year history of the PTA that any
information has been provided on the number of women detained.
None of the official reports or the annual review of the Acts have ever
made any reference to the position of women under the PTA.
Children and the PTA
Questions were also asked about the number of children who have
been taken into care as a result of their parents or guardians being
detained or examined under the PTA since 1984. The Home Secretary
replied that `The information is not held centrally and could be only
obtained at disproportionate cost'. This suggests that no statistics are
routinely kept on the number of children affected by the PTA and the