Reid in security measures pledge

12 April 2012

John Reid has pledged that measures to bolster Britain's "security" will be at the heart of the Queen's Speech.

The Home Secretary said issues such as immigration, terrorism, crime and anti-social behaviour were now the "centrepiece" of the public's priorities for the next decade.

The Government's new legislative programme, due to be unveiled on November 15, would reflect those concerns, he added.

Mr Reid indicated there would be a particular emphasis on measures to tackle "the biggest new phenomenon in the world - which is mass migration on a massive scale".

Challenged on whether it was "sustainable" that the UK's populations was growing by 500 every day, as figures last week suggested, Mr Reid told BBC1's Sunday AM programme:

"It's sustainable given that some people leave the country every day ... but it's also sustainable if the 500 that are coming here are contributing to our economic development and the general benefits of the country rather than living off, say, benefits."

He added: "Those who come to this country have to come through the managed system rather than illegally, and when they come here they have to contribute to this country and not take from this country."

Home Office proposals for a new Official Secrets Act which will curb so-called "whistle blowers" are also expected to be outlined in the Queen's Speech.

Ministers reportedly want to remove the common law defence of "duress of circumstances" which has been used by members of the security and intelligence agencies to leak sensitive information to the press.

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