David Davis criticises the Government’s attempts to delay the Anderson Report

The independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, David Anderson QC, has today published the results of his independent review into the operation and regulation of investigatory powers. This morning the report’s release was delayed, with Downing Street twice holding up the report’s publication.

In response to the delay, David Davis MP said:

“Frankly this behaviour is designed to limit Parliament’s informed questioning of the Home Secretary.

The report, originally intended for publication at 9:30 this morning has been delayed by No. 10, first to 10:30 and then to 11 o’clock. This was only changed when a media organisation, who already had the document, broke the embargo. This is a deliberate attempt to prevent Parliament from scrutinising the report before the Home Secretary presents it to the Commons.

This Government has a poor record when it comes to anti-terrorism and Parliament, as when they passed a Bill through Parliament in one day on bogus emergency grounds. How information is released by governments to Parliament needs serious reform if MPs are to properly hold the Government to account.”