POWERS to lower the burden of proof required to convict terrorist suspects and to hear evidence in secret will be spelt out in a policy paper from David Blunkett on Wednesday.

At the same time the Home Secretary will launch a six-month consultation on a range of further measures to combat terrorism, including the use of phone-tap evidence and state-appointed defence lawyers.

Mr Blunkett wants extra powers to be in place by 2006, when emergency counter- terrorism legislation passed in the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001, lapses. He has chosen the Commons debate on renewing the Anti- Terrorism, Crime and Security Act’s temporary powers to detain foreign suspects indefinitely as a forum in which to test opinion on extending the measures to British suspects.

The Home Secretary will maintain that the threat from terrorism is as great as in 2001 and poses a challenge to human rights groups to balance the rights of citizens to live free from the fear of terrorism with the rights of suspects.

He believes that the “new global suicide terrorism” means that it may now be necessary to keep evidence in a terrorism case secret even from British defendants and their lawyers in order to protect intelligence sources.

Among options under consideration are “special advocates” — state-vetted defence counsels — in British courts. They could be trusted not to pass on intelligence information heard in camera during a trial and to protect Security Service sources.

Mr Blunkett believes it is essential to protect those sources for Britain to take pre-emptive action against suicide attacks.

An aide said: “The question is how much proof do you have to give? There have been a series of cases in recent times where Customs in particular have withdrawn prosecutions because they have been called on to explain where their information has come from. David is saying, do we need to do that in private with a judge.

“He is saying that September 11 was not the end of everything. The threat is permanent. He is aware of concerns in this country about people’s liberties and he wants to consult. Within that is a challenge: can people think of anything else?”

• The Home Secretary will unveil a register of Eastern European workers today as part of plans to cope with the expected influx of migrants when the EU is enlarged by ten countries in May.

  Mr Blunkett will also say how access to benefits will be curtailed for EU members after fears of a “benefit shopping” explosion.

  The Government is also preparing to unveil a dramatic fall in figures of asylum-seekers tomorrow, when annual figures are released.

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