The UK's quest for security - or rather the quest by spin doctors to make it appear that we are doing everything possible to make the population secure is getting really stupid.

One of the many facets of the Terrorism Act is that the police have been given the powers to stop-and-search photographers in certain areas, but the list of such areas is secret....

So apart from actually passing a law that is unenforceable (think about pics being automatically posted to Flick/Twitter by mobile phones, or using EyeBeam) this is extremely unlikely to have any effect on terrorism...

The Home Office has rejected a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the BJP regarding the disclosure of the list of all areas where police officers are authorised to stop-and-search photographers under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000...

While it is common knowledge that the entire City of London [ed: the City of London is a one-square-mile financial district], at the behest of the Metropolitan Police, is covered by the legislation, it remains unclear which other areas in England and Wales have requested the stop-and-search powers...

The request asked for a 'full list of all areas - in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - subject to Section 44 Terrorism Act 2000 authorisations, which the Home Office has a statutory duty to be aware of.' The request was rejected in late May on grounds of national security. 'In relation to authorisations for England and Wales, I can confirm that the Home Office holds the information that you requested. I am, however, not obliged to disclose it to you,' writes J Fanshaw of the Direct Communications Unit at the Home Office. 'After careful consideration we have decided that this information is exempt from disclosure by virtue of Section 24(1) and Section 31(1)(a-c) of the Freedom of Information Act...' [From British cops deliver Catch 22 to photographers: you're not allowed to know which areas you're not allowed to photograph]