§ 61. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to a Bill which has just passed its committee stage in the Parliament of the Irish Free State, entitled the Copyrights Preservation Bill, 1929, which will make nugatory a decision of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which is the supreme tribunal to which citizens in the Irish Free State are entitled to apply in accordance with Article 66 of the Free State constitution, embodying a similar article in the Anglo-Irish Treaty: and what action the British Government proposes to take to secure the strict observance of the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty with regard to the right of British citizens resident in the Irish Free State to appeal to the Privy Council?
§ Mr. PONSONBYI have been asked to reply. The attention of the Secretary of State has been called to the terms of the Copyright (Preservation) Bill, which is at present before the Irish Free State Parliament. His understanding of the position is that, though there is a case pending before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, there is no judgment of the Committee which is affected by the terms of the Bill.
§ Sir W. DAVISONDoes the hon. Gentleman realise that the object of this Bill is to deprive British citizens in the Irish Free State of their right, reserved to them under the Treaty, of appealing to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council? This is a very serious matter indeed.
§ Mr. PONSONBYThe hon. Gentleman will understand that it is a very technical legal question, and he must give me notice of any further question.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs it really a very technical question, the securing to British citizens in the Dominions of their right" under the Anglo-Irish Treaty?