§ 55. Mr. DILLONasked the Home Secretary what steps he took to satisfy himself in each case before he signed internment orders for hundreds of Irish prisoners who have been interned under the Defence of the Realm Act?
Mr. SAMUELI had in each case before me a recommendation from the competent military authority showing definite grounds for internment under Regulation 14 B of the Defence of the Realm Regulations. The order is not final; it is subject to revocation if the prisoner makes representations and if the Advisory Committee, after full consideration of the case, recommends that the internment should mot be maintained.
§ Mr. SCANLANHas the right hon. Gentleman satisfied himself in each case, before he signed the internment order, that there was competent evidence on which such order might be signed?
Mr. SAMUELI accept the recommendations of the competent military authority. It is not possible for me on the evidence at my disposal to examine the cases individually of all the 1,800 prisoners. They have all been referred to the Advisory Committee for further examination.
Mr. HEALYDid the right hon. Gentleman take any steps specially as regards any prisoners to prescribe that certain of them should be kept in solitary confinement?
§ Mr. JOHN O'CONNORTo whom is the reference made? Is it to the police, or a recommendation which is not final, as the right hon. Gentleman has now said, or to the military authority of Ireland; and from whom does the right hon. Gentleman expect the report upon which he can act before releasing the person recommended?
Mr. SAMUELI do not quite follow the question. I do not know what recommendation the hon. Member means. The report which I am awaiting in this case 1358 is the report of the Advisory Committee, the constitution of which I have repeatedly mentioned in the House.
§ Mr. SCANLANIs it the position of the right hon. Gentleman that he has made orders for internment without himself investigating the cases?
Mr. SAMUELThe orders have been made by me on the recommendation of the competent military authority which has investigated each case, and I have referred all the cases for further inquiry to the Advisory Committee which advises me.
§ Mr. LYNCHHas the right hon. Gentleman any reason to believe that the competent military authority exercises any care or discrimination whatever in the examination on which he acts?
Mr. SAMUELYes, I know that he has made very careful inquiries and received legal advice with regard to the various cases.
§ Mr. GINNELLHave these persons been furnished with any charge but the vague one of hostile association, and what is the hostile association referred to?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is getting rather far from the question on the Paper.
§ 56. Mr. DILLONasked the Home Secretary whether he will publish immediately a full statement of the procedure of the Advisory Committee now inquiring into the cases of the interned Irish political prisoners; and whether he can state what steps have been taken to convey to the prisoners full and detailed knowledge of their rights in regard to an appeal to this Committee?
Mr. SAMUELThe procedure is simple and informal. All written representations made by the prisoners are referred to the Committee, and the Committee give full individual consideration to each case. They are now engaged in seeing the prisoners personally and hearing any statements they may wish to make, and, after they have seen the prisoners, they will, if they consider it necessary, call witnesses. They propose to go to Dublin 1359 in order to hear witnesses there. In each case the prisoner has been served with a written notice informing him of the grounds on which the order was made, that he is entitled to make representations against the order which will be submitted to the Committee, and that, if I am Ratified by the Report of the Committee that he can be released without injury to the public safety, the order will be revoked.
§ Mr. SCANLANIn each individual case is the prisoner, before he is called upon to appear before this Committee, supplied with a definite statement of the charge against him?
Mr. SAMUELHe is supplied with a statement which is in general terms, though not so indefinite as suggested by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. SCANLANIs it the case that no particulars are given to a prisoner before he appears before Mr. Justice Sankey's Committee except the facts to which he has to answer?
Mr. SAMUELThere is nothing in the nature of a legal indictment. The proceedings are more or less informal, and the man makes his own statement as to his share or lack of share of complicity in the rebellion.
Mr. HEALYIs the statement in the Press correct that the hon. Member for Newry is a member of Mr. Justice Sankey's Committee?
§ Mr. LYNCHWill the Government even now consider, in regard to the public advantage, the advisability of giving a general amnesty to close up the whole business?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat does not arise out of this.