§ 25. Mr. GINNELLasked the Home Secretary when and in what order the cases of the Irish prisoners at Reading are to be dealt with by the Advisory Committee; having regard to the breakdown of the attempted court-martial on Mr. Peadar O'Hourihane, owing to the conflict of Crown evidence and failure to connect him with any existing body of Irish Volunteers, whether his case will be dealt with at an early date; and whether the wish of this untried man to be visited by the hon. Member for North Westmeath will be allowed?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Herbert Samuel)The Advisory Committee regulate their own procedure, and I am unable to say in what order the Irish prisoners now at Reading will come before them, but all the Irish cases will be dealt with as speedily as possible. I am unable to give permission for the hon. Member to pay more visits to the Irish prisoners, for reasons of which he is well aware.
§ Mr. GINNELLMay I ask whether the authors and journalists who, I believe, constitute all the interned prisoners at Reading are, like those at Frongoch, confined to half a sheet of note paper for writing upon?
§ Mr. SAMUELI must ask for notice of that question.
§ Mr. BYRNEDoes the same order apply to all the other Irish Members? Why are they refused permission to visit the prisoners at Reading?
§ Mr. SAMUELThe hon. Member for North Westmeath (Mr. Ginnell) was refused permission to visit the camps because his visit caused disturbances in the camps.
§ Mr. SAMUELThere are necessary limits put upon the number of visits received by prisoners.
§ 32. Mr. BYRNEasked the Home Secretary the number of Irish prisoners released on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee; if he will consider daily their recommendations; the time that elapses from the time of receipt of recommendations and the orders for release; and when the women prisoners will be allowed to take their trial before judge and jury?
§ Mr. SAMUELSeven hundred and twelve men have been released from Frongoch up to the present time, besides two women who have been released from Lewes. I consider the Advisory Committee's recommendations as soon as they are received and issue orders for release. As regards the last part of the question, I have nothing to add to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member on the 17th July.
§ Mr. BYRNECan the right hon. Gentleman state why he refused to allow those women to go before a judge and jury—they are quite prepared to take their trial?
§ Mr. SAMUELI have already answered that question on many occasions. The position in respect to these women is the same as in respect to all the men interned.