§ 38. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any reply has been made to the note of the Government of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics on the subject of the raid on the Areas Company and the Russian Trade Delegation; and, if so, whether he will state the nature of the reply?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINNo, Sir. No reply has been made.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWhen does the right hon. Gentleman expect that he will be able to reply or report?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINA statement has been promised in the House to-morrow.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI know. That statement is in reference to the raid. Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he expects to be able to make his reply?
§ Mr. R. HUDSONSince when have His Majesty's Opposition become representatives of the Soviet Government in this country?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThe question of the hon. and gallant Gentleman refers to the note of the Soviet Government on the subject of the police search of Arcos.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWhen will a reply be given?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThat I cannot say at present.
§ 60. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Home Secretary who actually applied for the warrant to search the premises of the Arcos Company and the Russian Trade Delegation; on which date was the warrant applied for and on which date was it issued; and what were the terms of the warrant?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir William Joynson-Hicks)The warrant was applied for on the 12th instant by the Commissioner of Police for the City of London and was issued on the same date. As the warrant is somewhat long I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ The terms of the warrant are as follow:
§ "Search Warrant—Official Secrets Acts, 1911 and 1920.
§ In the City of London.
§ To Superintendent Thompson, Detective-Inspector Greer, Inspector Stubbings, and other of the Constables of the Police Force for the City of London and the Liberties thereof, and to each and all of the Constables of the said Police Force.
§ WHEREAS Information upon Oath hath been this day laid before me, one of the Aldermen of the said City," etc., "that there is reasonable ground for suspecting that an offence under the Official Secrete Act, 1911, has been or is about to be committed at 49, Moorgate Street, in the said City, occupied by and known as Arcos, Limited and the Russian Trade Delegation. 1643 These are therefore to require you forthwith to enter if necessary by force and to Search the said premises so occupied as aforesaid and every person found therein and to seize any sketch, plan, model, article, note or document, or thing of a like nature or anything whatsoever which is or may be evidence of an offence against the said Official Secrets Acts, 1911 and 1920, having been or being about to be committed which they the said Constables may find therein or on any of the persons found therein and with regard to or in connection with which they the said Constables have reasonable grounds for suspecting that offences against the said Statutes have been or are about to be committed and to bring the same and all persons found therein before me or some other Justice of the Peace for the said City to be dealt with according to law.
§ Given under my hand this 12th day of May, 1927.
§ (Signed) C. A. BATHO,
§ Alderman.
§ Justice of the Peace for the City of London."
§ 62. Mr. TAYLORasked the Home Secretary the total number of police employed in the raid on Arcos, Limited; the number who actually took part in the search of the documents found on the premises; and if he can state whether every document on the premises occupied by Arcos, Limited, and the Russian Trade Delegation was examined?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe total number of police who were present and took part in the search was 75. The search was directed to the examination of files and records which might throw light on the missing document and the reply to the second part of the question is therefore in the negative.
§ Colonel DAYCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether any women police or women connected with the Police Department took part in this search?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI think not.
§ Mr. TAYLORCan the right hon. Gentleman say what proportion of the documents was inspected?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSA comparatively small proportion. All the obviously trading documents were not interfered with.
§ Mr. TAYLORCan the right hon. Gentleman say what led them to inspect the particular files and to leave others alone?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe police of this country are very clever.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention been called to the speech made by the right hon. Member for Platting (Mr. Clynes), in which he said——
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe have nothing to do with Members' speeches outside the House.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWhen the police—who are very clever, I agree—were looking for a document that has been missing from one of the Government Departments, why was the incoming mail from Russia seized and examined?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI should have thought that the hon. and gallant Gentleman, with his knowledge of things Russian, would see that one of these letters might possibly have referred to the missing document.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYDoes not the right hon. Gentleman, with his knowledge of Russia, and especially of Russia before the War, know that he is up against the most careful secret service in the world?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSNo, not in the world.
§ Mr. WALLHEADHas the right hon. Gentleman any knowledge of one man in the office of Mr. Khinchuk who was beaten into insensibility by the police?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSNo. I have seen a statement by one man to that effect, but I do not believe it.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the statement that only a small portion of the documents have been examined has given great relief to a number of right hon. Gentlemen opposite?
§ Mr. HARDIEWhen the right hon. Gentleman states certain things, is his belief founded after having made investigations?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSCertainly.
§ Colonel DAYHow was it possible to search the female employés there if no female police were employed?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThat question was answered by me last week.