§ 26. Sir J. BUTCHERasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the large and increasing number of serious outrages committed in Great Britain by Sinn Feiners coming from Ireland, he will establish a passport system which will control and prevent the passage of undesirables from Ireland into Great Britain?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Shortt)I have no power under the existing law to 582 prevent a British subject landing in Great Britain from Ireland without a passport; and even if Parliament were willing to confer the power it would be difficult to enforce effectively a system of passports in respect of all the means of transit available by regular routes and otherwise between Ireland and Great Britain. As I stated in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Rotherham on the 7th instant, special steps are already taken to discover assassins and other undesirables coming from Ireland.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERIs the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that he has an effective method of preventing these assassins and other undesirables from coming over to England and perpetuating Sinn Fein outrages?
§ Mr. SHORTTI do not know what my hon. Friend means by "effective." No system is perfect, but we are doing our best.
§ Colonel Sir C. YATEWhy not blockade the whole of Ireland, and allow nobody to come over? Why not ship the whole lot who are here over there?
§ Sir J. BUTCHERCould it not be more effectively carried out than it is under the existing system?
§ Mr. MacVEAGHAll the undesirables do not come from Ireland. Some come from the north of England.