HC Deb 25 February 1890 vol 341 cc1155-6
MR. COBB

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Depart- ment whether Mr. Anderson handed to Le Caron a considerable number of documents, in addition to those which were produced before the Special Commission; whether, with regard to his answer to a question on the 15th of March last, that he knew nothing of any documents other than those which were used by Le Caron in Court, he can state whether he now knows if Mr. Anderson kept any list of the documents handed by him to Le Caron; whether all the documents, whether used in Court or not, have been returned to Mr. Anderson; and whether the Home Office will allow Mr. Anderson to have the custody in the future of these and other confidential documents?

MR. MATTHEWS

I have given to the House from time to time all the information which I consider that I ought to give consistently with my public duty with regard to the documents in question. In obedience to what has been the tradition of this House with respect to the secret service, I must respectfully decline to answer the question of the hon. Member.

MR. COBB

May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman has any more knowledge on this subject now than he had on the 15th of March last?

MR. MATTHEWS

I informed the House a short time ago—I forget the date—that all the documents had been returned. That is the only answer I can give to the hon. Gentleman.