Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take in response to the Independent Reviewer of State Threats Legislation report State Threats Legislation in 2024, published on 16 December; and what plans they have to create a code of practice for police forces in relation to espionage offences.

The National Security Act 2023 provides our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt state threats including new espionage offences.

The Government is committed to transparency on the operation of these new powers and is considering all of the recommendations made by Jonathan Hall KC in his first annual report as Independent Reviewer of State Threats Legislation, including that additional safeguards are necessary to prevent unjustified interference with public protest near prohibited places. The Government will respond formally to Mr Hall’s report in due course.