HC Deb 23 April 1918 vol 105 cc848-9
47. Major NEWMAN

asked the Prime Minister whether all comments by the Press on circumstances connected with the preparation and presentation of the Report on the proceedings of the late Irish Convention have been forbidden; and, if so, will he give the reason for this prohibition?

Mr. BRACE

The Prime Minister has asked me to reply to this question.

The text of the Report of the Convention and its Appendices are open to discussion, but the Press has been reminded that Regulation 27 A A of the Defence of the Realm Regulations still prohibits references to the proceedings of the Convention which are not disclosed in the Report and its Appendices, or any disclosure of documents not included in the published Report.

The proceedings of the Convention have from the first been treated as confidential, and it would not promote the settlement of the question if they were now made public.

Major NEWMAN

Does that mean that those particular Regulations are going to be rescinded or are they to remain in force—I mean the Regulations dealing with the proceedings of the Irish Convention—are they to remain in force for evermore?

Mr. BRACE

I think I must ask the hon. Member to take the answer, which has been very carefully prepared.

48. Major NEWMAN

asked the Prime Minister whether it was by his invitation or on his own initiative, and without consulting the body over which he was presiding, that the chairman of the Irish Convention was in London in the third week in January and was informed by him that the Government had determined that the Convention must find a solution of the problem of Irish government, and that he desired that representatives from the Convention should be sent to London to learn his views?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Bonar Law)

I can make no statement on this subject.

Major NEWMAN

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman why?

Mr. BONAR LAW

For one thing, it is a question regarding the action of the chairman of the Convention rather than the Government.

Colonel ASHLEY

As the Government is bringing in a Bill on this important subject, should not we know if the Government brought pressure to bear on the Convention to report in a certain sense?

Mr. BONAR LAW

There was no private pressure: the action of the Government was all contained in the letter which was included in the Report.