§ 33. Mr. Rileyasked the Home Secretary whether it is the invariable practice that when persons who have been arrested and detained under Regulation 18B are released their identity cards are endorsed, indicating that they have been in detention; and whether he will consider the advisability of having such endorsements discontinued?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonThese endorsements are not made in every case but only when 1240 the person released is subject to restrictions imposed under Defence Regulation 18A or paragraph 2 of Defence Regulation 18B. The object of the endorsement is not to indicate that the person concerned has been in detention, but to provide a means of securing compliance with the restrictions imposed. I have, however, recently had this matter under consideration and I have decided that in future only such restrictions as impose a limitation on movement or prohibit the possession of certain specified articles shall be endorsed on identity cards, and that other endorsements may be removed from the identity card upon application by the holder to the police. The number of cases where endorsements cannot be avoided because they are necessary to enable the restrictions to be enforced will be very small.
§ Sir T. MooreDoes not even this new system, for which we are grateful to the right hon. Gentleman, mean that there will be an impression that there is a sort of vendetta being carried on against these people after release?
§ Mr. MorrisonNo, Sir, I think that what I have said indicates that, with few exceptions, the point is really met, but where the person is released subject to the restrictions that he cannot move from certain places, I am afraid that I must have that fact on the identity card for the enforcement of restrictions.