§ 65. Mr. BUTCHERasked the Under-Secretary for War whether the special instructions issued from the War Office previously to the Scarborough raid in any way hamper, limit, or restrict the powers of the competent military authority to make orders under No. 14 of the Defence of the Realm Regulations for the removal of suspected persons from the East Coast or other specified areas; and whether he will circulate a copy of such instructions with the Votes?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe special instructions in question were of an explanatory nature and are confidential. It is not desirable to circulate them.
§ Mr. BUTCHERCan the right hon. Gentleman indicate in what way these are confidential?
§ Mr. TENNANTI would be glad to show them to the hon. and learned Gentleman.
§ 66. Mr. BUTCHERasked the Under-Secretary for War in what respect, if any, the orders issued by the competent military authority for the removal of aliens naturalised and otherwise from the East Coast were invalid, and why their operation has been suspended ever since; what are the numbers of aliens naturalised and otherwise now residing on or near the East Coast who would have been removed if such orders had not been suspended; what was the date of the telegram sent from the War Office to the local military authorities requiring them to suspend action; and what was the date of the official letter from the Home Office to the War Office calling their attention to the question whether the orders in question were in valid or not?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe orders were not invalid. I explained to the hon. Member on the 8th instant the circumstances under which certain removal orders were suspended. As regards the third part of the question, the cases of many individuals whose removal orders were suspended are still under consideration. The date of the telegram was 1st January. The date of the Home Office letter is also 1st January, 570 and, as I have already explained, it reached the War Office after the despatch of the telegram.