§ 36. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Home Secretary whether it is proposed to take further proceedings against those members of the Communist party who are not imprisoned; and whether instructions have been given to effect the arrest of prominent Communists in the provinces?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSIn reply to the first part of the question, I can only say that it is not the practice of the authorities concerned to give previous notice of their intentions in such a matter; and as regards the second part, the hon. and gallant Member must draw his own conclusions from the fact that such arrests have not been made.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that previous notice was given through the Sunday papers, and that an obviously inspired paragraph appeared that the provincial police had been ordered to round up all their Communists? How does he account for that?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI do not think a Minister can be held responsible for what appears in the Sunday newspapers.
§ Captain WEDGWOOD BENNIs it not a fact that, nine days before the other arrests, the right hon. Gentleman himself, in great detail, announced that some of the accused were guilty?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThere is no foundation whatever for that statement.
§ Captain BENNDoes the right hon. Gentleman deny the report in the "Times" of 6th October, in which he gave the names of two of the defendants and the announcement that they were "in the pay of Moscow"?.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSBeing "in the pay of Moscow" does not make them guilty. They were charged with quite a different offence from that. The hon. and gallant Member knows that the statement which he has just made is quite without foundation.
§ Captain BENNNot at all.
§ 37. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Home Secretary whether the 12 Communists recently sentenced to imprisonment are being treated as political prisoners and given appropriate treatment as such?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe 12 prisoners in question, who were ordered by the Court to be imprisoned in the Second Division, are being treated in accordance with the Statutory Rules respecting offenders of that division.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the past political prosecutions were common in this country, and that political prisoners were treated in a separate category, in the First Division, and that every other country in Europe, including Russia, treats them in that way? Why does he treat them differently?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSDoes the hon. and gallant Member include Russia?
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYCertainly, I do.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe decision of the Court was that these prisoners were to be imprisoned in the second division, and they are having all the privileges of that division.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that he is extremely ill-informed about Russia, and that political prisoners in Russia are given special treatment?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI visited some of the friends of hon. Members opposite when there.
§ Mr. LANSBURYAre these prisoners allowed books other than those in the prison library, and any writing material?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI cannot say that they are allowed books other than those in the prison library, but if representations are made that they should be allowed fresh books, I will see whether anything can be done.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI may say to my hon. Friends that I have on many other occasions allowed special books. I see no real objection to it. With regard to writing materials, prisoners in the second division have certain extra privileges, and all of these these men will have.
§ Mr. MACLEANWill the right hon. Gentleman see, too, that these prisoners are released when Bottomley is released?