VIEWPOINT FOR 29 MAY 2008 
FROM DR RICHARD TAYLOR

First two messages:

Would Kath Beaton who contacted my office asking for a meeting with me, please telephone 01562 75333 and leave her address and telephone number so my staff can contact her?

At a chance meeting in the town a distressed lady, who omitted to give her name, approached me to tell me of her and her son's acute disappointment that he, although he had done very well in all his school exams, had failed to achieve a place at medical school. She asked if this could be due to medical school places being given to foreign students to the disadvantage of our own students. 
I put in a parliamentary question to find this out and received an answer as follows: 

"The latest provisional figures for student intakes into English medical schools in the academic year 2007-8 show that of the total 6,292 student intakes, 89% are normally resident in Great Britain and the remaining 11% are normally resident overseas. Confirmed figures from the previous three years show that the corresponding percentage of intakes normally resident in Great Britain was 90%." 

Thus despite the fear the number of foreign medical students has not increased during the last four years.

________

To my surprise the Home Secretary, Rt. Hon. Jacqui Smith, recently asked to see me as the Government is concerned that it will not get through the extension of the possible length of time a terrorist suspect may be held without charge from 28 to 48 days. 
She did not try to pressure me into supporting this measure opposed by so many on both sides of the House but just made the Government's case and told me of a forthcoming briefing session for MPs. 
I attended this and learnt that now there is a consensus of police opinion that we need this extension in view of the increasing number of terrorist threats, their sophistication and the complexity of the investigative work that has to be undertaken without an increase in staff. 
The Government's briefing states:

"The Government is not seeking a permanent extension to the current pre-charge detention limit of 28 days for terrorist suspects. We are seeking a reserve power to allow a temporary and non-renewable extension to the pre-charge detention limit for terrorist suspects – which could only be used in exceptional circumstances, and only if high parliamentary and judicial safe guards were met." 

Taking the exceptional circumstances temporary reserve power would follow a decision by the Home Secretary based on a recommendation from the Director of Public Prosecutions and a Chief Constable. This decision would be subject to parliamentary debate and approval within 30 days and the period an individual suspect could be held beyond 28 days would have to be approved by a senior judge every 7 days at a time, to a new maximum limit of 42 days.

My concern is to vote on June 11 on the issue itself, on what is right for civil liberty and our protection in the face of terrorist threats, and not from a political anti-Government motive. If any reader wishes to give me their views on this by letter or e-mail I would be grateful.

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