§ 28. Mr. BOTTOMLEYasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the course adopted by his Department in the case of Laszlo, he will give the names of the persons who stood sponsors for Caroline Hanemann, naturalised since the outbreak of war and recently denaturalised?
§ Mr. SHORTTIf the hon. Member will refer to the answer given by my predecessor on the 25th October, 1917, in the case of Laszlo he will find that it was only on account of the special importance of the Laszlo case that an exception was there made to the general practice of not giving the names of referees. The case of Hanemann is not of the same order of importance as that of Laszlo. No Member, past or present, of this House was concerned with the naturalisation and I see no reason for making an exception to the general practice.
§ Mr. BOTTOMLEYCan the right hon. Gentleman tell me whether the wife of any Member of this House was one of the sponsors?
§ Mr. SHORTTNo, I do not think so.
§ Mr. BILLINGHaving regard to the fact that the right hon. Gentleman does not consider it a case of importance, is it not a fact that this lady was resident at 10, Downing Street for three months in 1916, during the regime of the late Prime Minister; and in these circumstances will he not reconsider the position?
§ Mr. SHORTTI do not think that makes any difference.
§ Mr. BILLINGAre we to understand that for a German agent to be resident at 10, Downing Street is not a matter of importance in war-time?
§ Brigadier-General CROFTWhat is the secret reason why the names of sponsors should not be given in this important question?
§ Mr. DEVLINWill the right hon. Gentleman refer this question to Major Cooper?
§ Mr. BOTTOMLEYIn view of the very unsatisfactory answer I have received, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this question on the Adjournment to-night.