HC Deb 03 February 1915 vol 69 cc36-7
Sir HENRY DALZIEL

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for War a question of which I have given him private notice: Whether it is the case that immediately after the raid on Scarborough, the military authorities, issued an order compelling all alien enemies to remove thirty miles inland? Will he state the reasons which induced the authorities to issue such an order? Is it the case that the order was subsequently cancelled; and, if so, why?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Tennant)

Shortly after the raid on Scarborough and other towns on the East Coast, orders, under Regulation 14 of the Defence of the Realm Regulations, were served by the military authorities personally upon certain suspected in- dividuals, requiring each person to remove outside the area. The reason is set forth in the Regulation referred to, and is that the persons were suspected of acting or of having acted or of being about to act in a manner prejudicial to the public safety or the Defence of the Realm. Further investigation into individual cases led to the order being cancelled in some instances. I am inquiring as to the number. In the remainder of the cases the order was enforced.

Sir H. DALZIEL

May I ask why it was cancelled?

Mr. TENNANT

It was cancelled because there was not sufficient ground for suspecting that these persons were acting or were about to act in the manner set forth as I have just read.

Lord CHARLES BERESFORD

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why these suspected persons were allowed to be there when there was some idea that there might be a raid?

Mr. TENNANT

They had been there for some considerable period.

Mr. JOYNSON-HICKS

Were the orders given by the local military authorities or were they orders sent out from headquarters in London?

Mr. TENNANT

Originally, the orders were drafted by the local military authority, who under the Act of Parliament are the competent military authority. Then they were submitted to the War Office for approval afterwards, and certain investigations were carried out on instructions from the War Office.

Mr. KING

Have any of these persons been tried, or are any of them going to be tried, either by court martial or otherwise?

Mr. TENNANT

No, Sir.

Mr. KING

Will there be no court martial with regard to any of these cases?

Mr. TENNANT

I cannot say that definitely, but up to now there has been no suggestion of such a thing.

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