§ 9. Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Home Secretary whether he has issued any instructions regarding the administration of the Public Meeting Act, 1908; and, if so, whether he will place a copy of these instructions in the Library?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSCopies were placed in the Library, and the material parts were communicated to the Press, last February, after a question had been asked by my hon. Friend the Member for the Frome Division of Somerset (Mr. Geoffrey Peto).
§ Mr. JOHNSTONHas the attention of the right hon. Gentleman been called to a recent case at Sunderland, where it emerged in the evidence that the Chief Constable there was announcing in advance what speakers would be and would not be permitted to speak at a public meeting, and has that been done on any instructions or advice of the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSNo, Sir. My attention has not been called to that case, and certainly no such instructions have been given by me. If I may respectfully say so, if the hon. Gentleman wants to ask a specific question of that kind, he might put it down.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that specific questions of that kind cannot be put on the Order Paper? I have tried it, and I know. If I submit a report of that case as it appeared in the London "Times," will the right hon. Gentleman have inquiries made into it?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI will certainly regard it as having come from the hon. Gentleman personally, and not as an attempt to evade the Rules of the House.