HC Deb 02 July 1940 vol 362 cc668-70
43. Captain Shaw

asked the Home Secretary whether or not the hon. and gallant Member for Midlothian and Peebles (Captain Ramsay) has been given an opportunity for consulting his solicitor in private or of instructing counsel to represent him before the Advisory Committee; and, as a person detained in prison for over five weeks, without any charge being brought against him, subjected to 20 hours solitary confinement out of 24 hours and only allowed one visitor and two letters a week, cannot adequately prepare and present his case before the tribunal, whether he will make sure that proper assistance is afforded in this case?

Mr. Peake

Every application for a visit to the hon, and gallant Member from his solicitor has been granted, and a solicitor has in fact visited him on four occasions between 15th and 29th June. The instructions to prison governors provide for the supervision of all such visits, and it is not possible to make exceptions in individual cases; but I can find no ground for the suggestion that the hon. and gallant Member has been deprived of any necessary facilities for preparing the case he may wish to present to the Advisory Committee.

Captain Shaw

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that the Advisory Committee refused the application of the hon. and gallant Member to see a solicitor in private? Does he not consider that the hon. and gallant Member is entitled to normal legal advice?

Mr. Peake

The prison authorities have instructions to treat people detained under Regulation 18B with every possible consideration. The statement that the hon. and gallant Member is allowed only four hours' association with others in Brixton Prison is, in fact, untrue. He is allowed association and exercise for periods of between seven and eight hours. In regard to the question of seeing his solicitor in private, I think it must be borne in mind that an element of national security is involved in all these cases under Regulation 18B, and I do not think that anybody who has a clear conscience would in the least mind his visits being supervised.

Rear-Admiral Beamish

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the proceedings will be open to the, public, and can he indicate in what way there is any risk to national security?

Mr. Peake

I should have thought it was perfectly clear that the proceedings before the Advisory Committee must be held in private.

Captain Shaw

Why should not the hon. and gallant Member see his solicitor in private? Does my hon. Friend not trust the legal profession, and does he consider that a Cabinet Minister, if charged with endangering the safety of the country, could defend himself properly if subjected to treatment such as the hon. and gallant Member has suffered?