§ 12. Sir M. LEVYasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention had been called to the statements made at a court-martial upon Lieutenant Albert Canning, who was honourably acquitted, that Mrs. Leverton Harris had visited without supervision Baron Leopold Plessen at Wakefield Internment Camp, and had taken him parcels of contraband, and that Count Metternich and Count Nettenbladt had also been visited by ladies under special facilities; whether he will say if permits allowing special facilities had been granted to the ladies to visit the prisoners; if so, by whom and upon what grounds; and, if no permits were granted, what disciplinary steps have been or will be taken to prevent a recurrence of such alleged irregularities?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Brace)My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. I have seen reports in the Press of the statements referred to, but I have not yet had an opportunity of seeing a copy of the proceedings at the court-martial. I have 867 however, communicated with the commandant at Wakefield, and am informed by him that since he has been in charge of the camp neither Mrs. Leverton Harris nor any other person has ever visited Baron von Plessen without supervision, nor has he ever been permitted to receive any parcel containing contraband.
As regards Count Metternich and Baron Nettenbladt, the commandant informs me that neither of these prisoners has been visited by any lady other than his wife, and that the only facility granted to these ladies has been to allow them, when they are unable to come on an ordinary visiting day, to pay the visit on some other day. This is a matter entirely within the discretion of the commandant, and it has been allowed in proper cases to prisoners of all classes. When only one or two visitors are present, the supervision can be made even stricter than on ordinary visiting days. There appears to have been no irregularity in this matter.
§ Sir M. LEVYWill the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries as to whether in this case Lieutenant Canning did not state definitely that parcels of contraband had been taken to these prisoners by Mrs. Leverton Harris?
§ Sir H. CRAIKWhat is the cause of the delay in receiving this report, about which I asked the right hon. Gentleman yesterday?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI do not know the immediate cause of the delay, but the report must first go to the Judge Advocate-General.
§ Mr. BOOTHIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the case was reported fully in a Pontefract paper last Friday, while there are two important Government Departments which now state that they have no knowledge of the matter?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe Departments do not say that they have no knowledge. They merely say that the official report has not yet been received.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERWill the right hon. Gentleman answer that part of the question which asks whether special facilities 868 had been granted to ladies to visit these prisoners by the Home Office, and, if so, why?
§ Mr. BRACEThe hon. and learned Gentleman must give notice of that. I have answered the question specifically as put down. I have paid some little attention to this, and therefore I am able to judge. If my hon. Friend wants to know about any specific case I shall be very glad to answer if he gives me notice.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERCan you tell me whether permits were issued by the Home Office giving special facilities to ladies to visit German prisoners?