§ 23. Mr. INGLEBYasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can state how many naturalised Germans or persons born in England of German parents have a double nationality, and would be recognised in Germany as German subjects?
§ Mr. McKENNAThere is no information available on this point, and as it could only be obtained lay application in each alleged case to the German authorities, I am not in a position to furnish the information to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. INGLEBYMay I ask whether a German naturalised in this country becomes ipso facto denaturalised in Germany?
§ Mr. McKENNAI believe there are certain cases in which a person does not become ipso facto denaturalised in Germany. But this is a question of the construction of German law, and I am quite unable to answer questions on that point.
§ Mr. G. TERRELLAre such persons treated in England as aliens and subjected to police supervision?
§ Mr. McKENNAWe do not know who the persons are. They cannot be very numerous. There may be some individual cases in which Germans may not have lost their original nationality, but we do not know who they are, and we have no means of ascertaining.
§ Mr. BUTCHERDoes the Home Secretary take no steps to ascertain, before giving certificates of naturalisation, whether or not the German subject proposes to be denaturalised?
§ Mr. McKENNAIf the hon. and learned Member refers to certificates of naturalisation given since the War, he may rest quite easy in his mind. In no case would the circumstances be such that naturalised persons would retain their German nationality. I am dealing in this instance with cases of naturalisation since the War. In cases where naturalisation took place a few years ago, it is impossible for me to say whether any of the persons naturalised retained their nationality.
§ Mr. STEWARTIs it not the case that the Stock Exchange is very well aware that some of the members have not de-naturalised themselves in Germany?
§ Mr. McKENNAI am not aware of that.
§ 26. Mr. BUTCHERasked the Home Secretary whether, before the War Office sent their telegram of 1st January, 1915, suspending the order made by the competent military authority for removing aliens from the East Coast, any complaints or representations, verbal or written, were made on the subject by the Home Office to the War Office, or to the military authority who had made the order?
§ Mr. McKENNANo complaints or representations, verbal or written, were made by the Home Office to the War Office or to the military authority, who had made the order, other than the Home Office letter of 1st January, 1915, which was received by the. War Office after the War Office had sent their telegram of 1st January, 1915.
§ 28. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked whether an alien enemy named Von Saal is residing at Stevenage, in Hertfordshire; whether he has been refused naturalisation; and whether any orders have been sent regarding him by the Home Office to the local police?
§ Mr. McKENNAAn alien of German origin named Von Saal is, I believe, residing at Stevenage. He applied for naturalisation in the year 1913, and did not obtain it. No orders have been sent by the Home Office to the local police about this man; but in answer to an inquiry in September last, the Department stated that, in view of documentary evidence that he had been discharged from German nationality in 1897, he was not subject to registration as an alien enemy.
§ 42. Sir JOHN LONSDALEasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the military authorities have no power to take effective precautionary measures against suspected persons who are naturalised British subjects, he will introduce a measure to amend the Aliens Restriction Act, 1914, so as to make that Act apply to all persons of alien birth, whether naturalised or not?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI would refer the hon. Member to No. 14 of the Defence of the Realm Regulations. There is no reason to think that these powers are insufficient to deal with any suspected person.
§ Sir J. LONSDALEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the military 258 authorities are seriously handicapped in dealing with spies by the immunities which naturalisation gives them?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAll these matters are carefully taken into consideration.
§ 43. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Prime Minister when he proposes to give a day for the discussion of the aliens question as a whole?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAn opportunity was recently given, of which unfortunately the hon. Member, owing to illness, was unable to take advantage. I think a further opportunity for discussion of this subject will shortly arise on the Vote of Credit.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSDoes the right hon. Gentleman know that the discussion on the Vote of Credit is liable to be cut into by any Member who desires to raise any subject? Can he not give another day for discussion of aliens?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThere will be another opportunity on the Consolidated Fund Bill.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSDoes not the same objection apply to the Consolidated Fund Bill?
§ 29. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Home Secretary whether he has received a memorial from the chairman of the Hitchin bench of magistrates in regard to the German convalescent hospital there; whether the entire indoor staff consists of alien enemies; whether he is aware that the hospital is situate on high ground commanding the town of Hitchin and, in particular, the Great Northern station of that town; and, seeing that anxiety is felt in the district regarding these alien enemies, will he say what steps he proposes to take?
§ Mr. McKENNAI received a few days ago the memorial mentioned in the first sentence of the question, and it contains the statements referred to. I am inquiring into the matter.