§ 27. Mr. KINGasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has observed the use made in debate of a letter written by a neutral manufacturer; whether this letter was stopped by the military censorship and its contents communicated to the Colonial Secretary; and whether it is the policy of the military censorship not only to prevent military information being improperly disclosed, but also to provide Ministers with material for attacking their political critics?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI think I have been able to identify correctly the debate and the letter which my hon. Friend has in mind. If so, I may inform him that the letter in question was not stopped in the sense that it was not allowed to proceed to its destination, but it is, of course, the practice to communicate to public Departments concerned any information on matters of public interest which may be obtained through the censorship for such use to be made of it as the particular Department may consider desirable. This was done in this instance.
§ Mr. KINGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that when the censorship was initiated at the beginning of she War we were told that it was definitely and solely with the object of preventing information getting to the enemy which would be of advantage to them, and that other subjects, such as freedom of discussion—[HON. MEMBERS: "Russia's methods!"]—and secrecy of correspondence, would not be infringed?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI do not know what principle was laid down definitely, but I take it the Government are perfectly within their rights in using any information which comes to them in these conditions for any public and national purpose.
§ Mr. ROBERTSONWould the right hon. Gentleman consider himself justified in making use of private letters for the purpose of assisting one side in debate?
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEIs it customary to divulge private letters going through the Censor's office which the Censor has not thought it necessary, in the public interest, to stop?
§ Mr. T. M. HEALYMay I remind the right hon. Gentleman of what Sir James Graham did in the Mazzini case?
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTAre we to understand that it is now the intention of the Departments to use letters which have been disclosed in the Censor's office for a purpose altogether distinct from the prosecution of the War?
§ Mr. KINGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this letter was used as a debating point on one of those questions which are supposed to be dead under the party truce?
§ Mr. ANDERSONWas this letter delivered, and to whom? If it was possible to deliver the letter, why should a photograph of it be used for the purpose of political argument in this House?
Mr. HAZLETONArising out of the right hon. Gentleman's answer, is it not the fact that documents treated in this way become official documents, and are we not, therefore, entitled to their production if they are read on the floor of the House?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThat is a question of Order, which, of course, I cannot presume to determine. The function of the War Office, or, at any rate, the officials for whom I am answering, is to send along to public Departments any information which comes into its possession by means of letters opened in this way. There the responsibility of the War Office ends.
§ Sir G. TOULM1NAre there any cases in which prices have been discovered in these letters and passed on to Departments with whom business relations are concerned?
§ Commander BELLAIRSMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman—
§ Commander BELLAIRSThis is a question of great public importance—
Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKERI called upon an hon. Member to put the next question. The hon. and gallant Member had better put any further questions on the Paper.