Britain's Home Secretary stated that only a small minority of organizations consulted on the government's proposal to allow police to detain terrorism suspects for up to 42 days without charge actually support the plan. The Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, defended the controversial plans in front of a parliamentary committee, revealing that out of 71 organizations consulted, only six fully supported the proposal. Despite criticism from individuals such as the Director of Public Prosecutions and the former Attorney General, Smith maintained her stance on the issue during a hearing with the Home Affairs Select Committee. Smith also admitted that she had not met with the Director of Public Prosecutions to discuss the proposals, despite the importance of his support. Over the weekend, it was reported by the media that the head of MI5, Jonathan Evans, indicated to MPs privately that he would not support the new laws. However, senior police officers, such as London Commissioner Ian Blair, have expressed their support for the extension. Smith argued that the proposed laws were necessary in order to allow police sufficient time to interrogate suspects in highly complex terrorism cases. She stated that the laws would include certain "safeguards", with any request to extend the time limit requiring approval from both parliament and a judge. When questioned by members of both the opposition and government, Smith denied that the 42-day limit was established with political motives, but rather to ensure successful prosecutions. During the hearing, she expressed concern that in the future, with only 28 days before a trial, there may be a risk of releasing individuals before sufficient evidence has been gathered against them. Despite previously agreeing with critics that there was no need to extend the time period, she stated that her opinion had changed due to the current climate of sustained terrorism threats. She emphasized that if she and other senior police officials were mistaken in holding someone for longer than 28 days, the pre-trial extension would not be utilized. Smith's unexpected announcement of the plans last week has drawn criticism from opposition parties, human rights groups, and some Muslim organizations, as well as from some government MPs. The significant level of opposition suggests that Smith and Prime Minister Gordon Brown may encounter difficulty in passing the laws through parliament. This would reflect the challenges faced by former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who experienced his initial defeat in the House of Commons in 2005 while attempting to extend detention time to 90 days.