Tuesday, March 8 2005 12:07 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: The Tony Blair Government has suffered a major blow to its anti-terrorism bill when the House of Lords voted to ensure that, all control orders should be made by a "Judge" rather than a "Minister".

The Government was defeated by 249 to 119 votes, while two further concessions - to raise the standard of proof for a control order and to confirm there was no possibility of prosecution before issuing one - were made without a vote.

Yesterday (Mar 7, 2005) night's decision modifies the Government's initial anti-terrorism legislation, which gave the home secretary the right to authorize "control orders", ranging from tagging, curfews, bans on phone and internet use to full house arrest.

A heated two-hour debate saw Liberal Democrats, Conservative backbenchers and Labour peers argue that the Government was going too far towards putting civil liberties risk under the terror crackdown.

The votes represent major setbacks to the Government's attempt to get the bill through the Commons, to which it returns tomorrow (Mar 9, 2005).

Home Secretary Charles Clarke had already conceded judicial involvement for house arrest orders in an attempt to achieve consensus in the Commons, but backbench demands for Judges' involvement in other orders last week sparked a major rebellion. It saw the Government's majority reduced to only 14 votes - the second smallest since Tony Blair came to power.

The Bill is the Government's response to the Law Lords' ruling last December that existing legislation on detention without trial breaches the European convention on human rights.

That law, the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 expires on March 14.