Phone-tapping evidence to be allowed in court

MINISTERS are preparing to lift the ban on phone tap evidence during trials as part of the war on terror, it was reported last night.

It is believed Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, has reached an agreement with the security services and police to use the evidence, despite fears it might compromise future phone tapping operations. The UK and Ireland are among the few countries which ban as evidence in court information obtained from tapping phones.

It is understood the decision has been reached after courts ruled it was unlawful to keep terrorist suspects indefinitely detained without charge. The inability to use phone tap evidence meant it was virtually impossible to get a conviction.

The need to allow surveillance evidence appears all the more urgent because Clarke is expected this week to confirm he is abandoning plans for house arrest, recently unveiled as an alternative to detention.

The about-turn on house arrest was agreed by the Cabinet last Thursday after Clarke said the police and MI5 opposed the plans, which also faced defeat in the courts.

The move follows advice from the security services which said that house arrest would create a focus for disaffection, with radical protesters being drawn to demonstrate outside detainees’ houses.

As an alternative to house arrest, Clarke is expected to announce terror suspects could be subject to "control orders" such as electronic tagging, curfews, and limits on internet use.