HC Deb 22 January 1941 vol 368 cc176-8
70. Mr. Stokes

asked the Home Secretary how many of the 150 ex-service men detained under Regulation 18B, to whose appeal his attention has been drawn, have since appeared before the advisory committee; and how many of them have now been released?

The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Peake)

I have seen a petition to which presumably my hon. Friend refers, purporting to be sent on behalf of 150 ex-service men, but it contained no list of names, and I am therefore unable to identify the individuals. All applications, however, whether from ex-service men or others are being rapidly dealt with by the advisory committees.

Mr. Stokes

Will my hon. Friend examine the names with which I supplied him?

Mr. Peake

Certainly. Of course, services rendered by a man in the last war are one of the factors taken into consideration, but I would remind my hon. Friend that some of the more prominent persons detained under Defence Regulation 18B are in fact ex-service men.

71. Mr. Stokes

asked the Home Secretary in how many cases investigation by the Advisory Committee of British-born citizens detained under Regulation 18B, treasonable or other indictable charges, have been or can be preferred?

Mr. Peake

Whenever there is evidence to support a criminal charge, proceedings are taken in the courts. As a general rule, therefore, no occasion arises for making an order under Regulation 18B in respect of persons against whom criminal charges can be preferred, but there have been two cases in which after a person has been detained under this Regulation further information has resulted in the institution of criminal proceedings.

Sir W. Davison

Is my hon. Friend aware that there is still considerable delay in bringing cases of appeal before the Advisory Committee? Can he tell the House the normal period now that it takes for an appeal from one of these people under Regulation 18B to reach the Advisory Committee?

Mr. Peake

Perhaps my hon. Friend will await the statement which I am going to make in answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Earl Winterton), on Question 74.

73. Mr. Stokes

asked the Home Secretary what decision he has come to with regard to Mr. Reginald Pobjoy who was detained under Regulation 18B on 20th July, appealed on 23rd July, petitioned the Home Secretary on 4th September, which was acknowledged on or about 25th September, and finally appeared before the advisory committee on 4th December, since when he has received no communication as to the recommendation of the committee; and whether he will give reasons for the 19 weeks' delay in hearing this appeal?

Mr. Peake

My right hon. Friend has recently received from the Advisory Committee a report, which is at present under consideration, and I will inform my hon. Friend as soon as a decision has been reached. My right hon. Friend has explained on several occasions the difficulties experienced in arranging for the review of the large number of cases of persons whose detention was ordered in June and July and the steps which have been taken to expedite the procedure.

Mr. Stokes

Can the hon. Gentleman tell me the date on which the Home Office received the report of the Advisory Committee?

Mr. Peake

It was 9th January.

Mr. Levy

Is my hon. Friend aware of the great delay which occurs in his Department in answering any sort of ques- tions at all, and is he also aware that I received yesterday morning a reply to a letter which I addressed on 10th October last?

74. Earl Winterton

asked the Home Secretary whether he can make a statement on the progress of the review of cases of persons detained under Regulation 18B of the Defence Regulations; and the total number of persons who have been released from detention up to the last convenient date?

Mr. Peake

I am informed that the number of cases heard by the several Advisory Committees is 1,368, and the number of cases outstanding is about 150. Up to 31st December, about 600 persons had been released from detention.

Earl Winterton

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the average time taken between the arrest of an individual and the hearing of his case by the tribunal has now been reduced, and what that average time would now be?

Mr. Peake

I am afraid I cannot say what the average time would now be, but it is perfectly clear that in the course of three weeks all the cases will have been before the Advisory Committees, and therefore the cases of any persons newly detained under the Regulation will go before the committees very quickly.

Mr. Stokes

Will the hon. Gentleman say whether there have been many cases in which an Advisory Committee has made no recommendation?

Mr. Peake

No, Sir. The Advisory Committees always make a recommendation either in favour of release or in favour of detention.

Sir W. Davison

Is the House to understand that all of these cases will be disposed of in the next three weeks?

Mr. Peake

Yes, Sir, I think we can say that.

Captain Strickland

Will my hon. Friend explain why it takes such a long time for an Advisory Committee to come to a decision after they have heard the evidence—for example, from December to January?

Mr. Peake

I am afraid I cannot.