§ 40. Mr. KINGasked the Home Secretary whether persons usually resident in Ireland, but now interned in England under Order 14B, signed by the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, are under the care and direction of, and rules made by, him or the Chief Secretary; whether he has received repeated requests for permission that Mrs. Gonne M'Bride, an Irish widow lady interned, might have an interview with her son, aged fourteen years, so that his education and maintenance might be settled; why he has declined to accede to such request; why, up to 12th June, over three weeks after her arrest, had Mrs. M'Bride no knowledge whether her son was in Ireland or in England, and was prevented from knowing that he was constantly applying to the Home Office and in other quarters to see her; and whether it is the accepted policy of the Government to cut off from family news all Irish interned persons more strictly than condemned felons are from their family and friends?
§ Mr. BRACEThese persons are treated in accordance with rules made by the Home Secretary in consultation with the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Applications have been received that Mrs. MacBride may be visited by her son. This visit will be allowed on certain conditions which have been communicated by the Chief Secretary to her and to the hon. Member. Since the beginning of this month correspondence with the prisoners has been allowed, and it has been open both to the boy and to her other relatives to communicate with Mrs. MacBride in writing. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. KINGIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that Mrs. MacBride has repeatedly asked to see her son under any conditions, and has been again and again refused?
§ Mr. BRACEAs I have just told the hon. Member, Mrs. MacBride is to be allowed to see her son under certain conditions.
§ Mr. KINGAs this answer is quite mysterious, I beg to give notice that I will call attention to this matter on the Vote of Credit or at any time convenient to the right hon. Gentleman.