HC Deb 13 June 1940 vol 361 cc1369-71
25. Captain W. T. Shaw

asked the Home Secretary if he can now say when he will be in a position to make his report on the result of the appeal by the hon. and gallant Member for Midlothian and Peebles (Captain Ramsay) to the Advisory Committee?

Sir J. Anderson

No, Sir. This matter will be dealt with as early as possible, but I am not at present in a position to indicate a date.

Captain Shaw

Will my right hon. Friend tell us the names of the people who serve on this Advisory Committee; and will he explain the delay in the hearing of this appeal, seeing that he has been able to deal with tens of thousands of enemy aliens? Does he recognise that while the hon. and gallant Member is in prison, a great Scottish constituency is unrepresented in this House?

Sir J. Anderson

The Advisory Committee, which is presided over by Mr. Norman Birkett, is an entirely different body from the regional committees set up all over the country. The composition of this Advisory Committee was made public some time ago. As regards the substance of the Question, I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that the delay has not been due to any fault or negligence on the part of the Committee. It has been due to the fact that there is a vast mass of documentary material which has to be very carefully examined.

Captain Shaw

Has any charge been preferred against the hon. and gallant Member, and, if so, will the particulars of such charge be given to him?

Mr. Thorne

If he had not done wrong, he would not have got "pinched."

Sir J. Anderson

No specific charge has been preferred against the hon. and gallant Member. I have explained, on more than one occasion in this House, that in the case of a person detained under Regulation 18B, the obligation rests upon the chairman of the Advisory Committee to see that the person is furnished with full information, to enable him to put whatever case he desires to put for consideration properly before the Committee.

Captain Shaw

Has the hon. and gallant Member been furnished with any particulars?

Mr. Maxton

Does the vast mass of documentary evidence referred to by the Home Secretary deal specifically with the case of the hon. and gallant Member for Midlothian and Peebles?

Sir J. Anderson

It all relates to that case.

Mr. Maxton

Is that examination being done by the Advisory Committee or by the Home Office?

Sir J. Anderson

It is being done, in the first instance, by the security services; and the material will be placed before the Advisory Committee.

Mr. Maxton

Would it not have been the correct thing to have examined the evidence of the security services before the arrest was made?

Sir J. Anderson

Such arrests are made as a matter of precaution. Any questions which may be put with regard to the propriety of the action taken, would, I think, be better put after the event.