§ 54. Mr. WATERSONasked the Home Secretary whether instructions are still issued to secret service agents and others to take reports of speeches made by Members of Parliament and others in Great Britain; and, if so, how long it is proposed to continue this practice, which is an expense to the country?
§ Mr. SHORTTNo instructions are issued to secret service agents or others to take reports of speeches made by Members of Parliament.
§ Mr. LAWSONIs the right hon. Gentleman prepared to accept the word of an hon. Member of this House that an agent did visit a meeting and take a report of a speech. [HON. MEMBERS: "Name!"] If that is the treatment that an hon. Member of this House receives, what is the treatment that an ordinary citizen will receive? [HON. MEMBERS: "Name!"]
§ Mr. SHORTTThe hon. Member asked whether instructions had been issued. I said, "No." It may be that the local police, for their own purposes, attended a meeting and took notes.
§ Captain REDMONDDoes the right hon. Gentleman's reply apply only to Great Britain?
§ Mr. DEVLINAre we not part of the United Kingdom?