Anti-terrorism stop and searches decline

9,562 stop and searches were carried out in 2010/11, a 91 per decrease from the year before

The number of stop and searches carried out in Great Britain in 2010/11under anti-terrorism legislation decreased by 91 per cent compared to the year before, a Home Office Statistical Bulletin has revealed.

'Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and subsequent legislation: Arrests, outcomes and stops and searches' found that 102,504 stop and searches were carried out in 2009/10 compared to 9,652 in 2011.

Of the 9,562 arrested in 2010/11, only 77 resulted in arrest. None of these arrests were identified as being terrorism-related.

There was shown to be 121 terrorism arrests in 2010/11, down from 178 in 2009/10. 37 per cent of terrorism arrests in 2010/11 resulted in a charge.

The Home Secretary announced in January 2011 that one of the recommendations from a review of counter-terrorism and security powers was that stop and search powers under sections 44 to 47 of the Terrorism Act 2000 should be repealed and replaced with a much more limited power.

Further information:
Home Office Statistical Bulletin