Mr. L. SMITH(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary for Scotland whether in view of the fact that one of the political prisoners sentenced in Northern Ireland and imprisoned in an English prison has applied for a writ of habeas 947 corpus in order that the legality of these imprisonments may be tested, and that a rule nisi was granted in his case by the Lord Chief Justice's Court this morning, the prisoners held under similar conditions in Scotland will be retained as at present until the legal issue has been decided?
§ The LORD ADVOCATEIn the absence of my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland, who is in Scotland, I can say only that I will place the matter before him, and that doubtless he will communicate with the hon. Member.
Mr. SMITHMay I ask for an assurance that no action will be taken until an opportunity has been given to put the question to the Secretary for Scotland?
§ The LORD ADVOCATEOf course, I am not in a position to give any such assurance. All that I can do is to communicate with my right hon. Friend.