Mr. J. RAMSAY MacDONALD(by Private Notice) asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give the House any information about the judgment delivered to-day in the Court of Appeal regarding the deportations to Ireland, what that judgment is, and what action he proposes to take about it?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERALWith the permission of the hon. Member, I will answer the question. A judgment was delivered in the Court of Appeal this morning, reversing the decision of the King's Bench Division, and saying that a writ of Habeas Corpus should issue in respect of one of the Irish deportees. The action which the Government are taking is that a petition to appeal has been prepared to the House of Lords. It will be lodged before 10 o'clock to-morrow morning, and an application will be made at 10.45, at the sitting of the House of Lords, for the hearing of the appeal to be expedited. The House will realise that as that is in effect a judgment which is under appeal, it would not be proper for me to discuss it.
Mr. MacDONALDMay we have a distinct and definite assurance that this case will be hurried through the House of Lords without any possible delay, so that the matter may be finally settled?
§ The ATTORNEY - GENERALOf course, I cannot promise what the House of Lords will do, but my application to-morrow is to be that the House of Lords will take the case on Monday.
§ Mr. PRINGLECan the learned Attorney-General inform the House whether such an appeal operates as a stay of the writ?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERALIt would be very much better if I did not discuss the legal aspect of the matter.
§ Mr. MUIRMay I ask the Attorney-General whether his application for an appeal covers the cases from Scotland also, as the order for deportation was made separately for Scotland?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERALThere was only one case heard before the Court of Appeal. It is only in that case that any order has been made, and it is only that order against which we are going to appeal.