§ 44. Sir J. BUTCHERasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the fact that by the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1918, the Home Secretary has, before revoking a certificate of naturalisation, to be satisfied that the person to whom the certificate was granted has done certain acts or things specified in the Act, or was not of good character at the date of the grant of the certificate; whether, in order that the Home Secretary may be so satisfied, it is essential that he should know the result of the inquiry held by the Committee mentioned in the Act and the grounds of their decision; and whether, when this Committee make their Report to the Home Secretary, they communicate to him not only their decision but the grounds of their decision and a note of the evidence on which that decision is founded?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Shortt)The answer to all these questions is in the affirmative so far as regards cases under Section 1 of the Act of 1918, in 1430 which some act of disloyalty is alleged; but in cases under Section 3 of that Act—that is, cases of enemy subjects naturalised during the War against whom no such act is alleged—the final decision rests with the Committee, and they answer "Yes" or "No" to the question whether the certificate of naturalisation should be revoked without giving their reasons.