§ Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALDasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he had received any representations regarding the case of Charles Vingle, John Leonard, and Simon Dunalavage, three Poles, who were sentenced to thirty days' imprisonment without the option of a fine, and recommended for deportation, for being concerned in certain disturbances arising out of the coal strike at Rosehall Colliery, Lanarkshire; whether he was aware that these men had been resident in this country for eight, four, and six years respectively; whether, before agreeing to their deportation, he considered whether such an act was justified by the men's record whilst in this country, and whether they really came under the Aliens Act at all; whether he was aware that the wife and family of one of the men were now in this country apparently unprovided for; whether there was any case on record of British citizens being deported from a foreign country for participation in disturbances arising out of a trade dispute; and whether he would reconsider the case of these men with a view to the deportation order being rescinded?
§ Mr. McKENNAI decided to make expulsion orders in these three cases after careful consideration of all the circumstances and after duly weighing a representation on behalf of the Lanarkshire Miners' Union submitted to me by my hon. Friend the Member for North-East Lanarkshire. The offences of which these aliens were convicted were breach of the peace and assault on the police. Two of them were sentenced to forty days' imprisonment and one to three months. They had all been resident in this country for some years, and against each of them there were previous convictions ranging from two to five in number for breaches of the peace and assault. I came to the conclusion that the recommendation for expulsion (which was clearly within the terms of the Aliens Act) was well justified, and that it was proper for me to act upon it. If the wife of one of these aliens is 779 now in this country, it is by her own desire. If she had desired to accompany her husband, she would have been assisted to do so and the expense of her journey would have been paid, but she refused. I am unable to say whether any British citizen has been expelled from a foreign country in precisely similar circumstances. I cannot withdraw the expulsion orders which I have made in two of the cases, and I see no ground for not making an order in due course in the case where the sentence of imprisonment has not yet expired.
§ Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALDIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the men with whom these men have been working have unanimously signed a petition in favour of the reconsideration of this case; that the previous convictions to which the right hon. Gentleman has referred, were just the ordinary Saturday evening convictions, which are only too common in that district; and that it had never been suggested before this trade dispute took place that these men were not desirable subjects as long as we have aliens in the country at all?
§ Mr. McKENNAI was aware of the petition, and also that the convictions on which these men had been previously sentenced were not of a very serious character; but owing to the fact that one of the men had been sentenced five times—
§ Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALDIn eight years.
§ Mr. McKENNABut still five times, and another twice, and the third—I forget the exact number, but between twice and five times, I felt that it would not be right to over-rule the order of the magistrate.
§ Mr. KINGHas the right hon. Gentleman taken into account the social and political conditions and institutions in Poland to which he is sending these men back?
§ Mr. McKENNAI do not know that they are going to Poland.
§ Mr. JAMES HOPECan the right hon. Gentleman say how these three Polish immigrants came to acquire the names under which they are referred to in the question?
§ Mr. McKENNAI am unable to answer that question.