§ 50. Mr. Garro Jonesasked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with existing measures for the detection of leakage and disclosure of information to the enemy by roundabout or direct channels; that the existing law provides sufficient powers of punishment including the death penalty; and which Minister of the Crown is responsible to Parliament for administration in this sphere?
§ The Prime MinisterClose attention has been given, and is being continuously given, to this matter; and I am satisfied 25 that there is no failure to take vigilant precautions against the leakage of information which might be useful to the enemy. For offences of this kind heavy penalties are already provided by the statute law and the Defence Regulations. The introduction of further legislation providing for the imposition of the death penalty in the most serious type of case is now being considered. As regards the last part of the Question, many Government Departments are in possession of secret information which might be useful to the enemy, and no single Minister could be made responsible for all the measures taken to prevent the leakage of such information; but the hon. Member may rest assured that there is effective machinery for the co-ordination of the precautions taken by the various Departments concerned.