45. Mr. FREDERICK HALL (Dulwich)asked the Prime Minister if the powers exercised by the Home Secretary in connection with the administration of justice and in other matters with which the Home Office is concerned are derived from Statute or arise from practice; if from Parliamentary enactment or resolution, will he give particulars of the same; and if, in view of the tendency in this and other Departments of the Government to extend the limits of authority of the heads of such departments and to encroach upon the duties of the executive services he will cause a short memorandum to be prepared defining the powers of the Home Secretary and other Ministers, and indicating the origin thereof?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)The powers of the Home Secretary depend partly on common law and constitutional practice, and partly on Statute. I could not undertake to define these powers in a brief memorandum, but the hon. Member will find information on the main points in the standard text books on the Constitution.