§ 14. Sir Irving Alberyasked the Home Secretary whether resulting from the recent Habeas Corpus action by Mr. Ben Greene, detained under Regulation i8b, the recommendation of the Judge will be given effect to.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonYes, Sir.
§ Sir I. AlberyWill the right hon. Gentleman take steps to ascertain whether any other cases need similar revision, in view of the remarks made by the learned Judge?
§ Mr. MorrisonI should think, in view of the remarks of the learned Judge, that if there are any other cases of that kind, they will raise the matter, in which case I will certainly consider taking suitable action.
§ 15. Commander Bowerasked the Home Secretary whether all persons detained under Regulation i8b are supplied with a copy of the instructions with regard to such detentions in prisons establishments, Cmd. 1940, No. 6162; and whether all prison officers concerned are so provided?
§ Mr. MorrisonNo, Sir, it has not been thought necessary to do so; but all Prison Governors have been supplied with these instructions, and are responsible for seeing that they are carried out.
§ Commander BowerUpon what date were these instructions communicated to the Governor of Brixton Prison; and how on earth are the men who are detained expected to obey regulations that they have never seen?
§ Mr. MorrisonI think that the regulations are well known to the persons interned. I cannot say when the document was actually communicated, but I should imagine it would be quite soon after it was published.
§ Mr. GallacherIs the Home Secretary aware that regulations are always posted up in the prison?
§ 16. Commander Bowerasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that some persons detained under Regulation 18B are only permitted to write two letters a week, and that this restriction is in con- 1240 travention of paragraph 6 (1) of the instructions; and whether he will see that these instructions are carried out in future?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe paragraph of the instructions to which my hon. Friend refers states that a detained person will be allowed to write and receive letters subject to censorship. There is nothing inconsistent with this paragraph in the limitation of the number of letters which a detainee may send a week, and some restriction of the number is necessary for administrative reasons. In addition to the two letters a week allowed for the purpose of keeping in touch with relatives and friends, detainees are allowed to write to their solicitors about their case, and may, in the discretion of the Governor or Camp Commandant, be granted additional letters for any other special purposes.
§ Commander BowerIn the case of detainees who in normal life are accustomed to having a very large correspondence, surely the restriction to two. letters a week is distinctly punitive?
§ Mr. MorrisonI appreciate that point. But these letters must be censored; and if there is an unlimited number of letters, the censorship will be choked. There are security reasons for this.
§ Commander BowerBut surely two letters a week is a fantastically small number to allow?
§ Mr. MorrisonTwo letters a week and the possibility of communicating with a solicitor, seem to me to be reasonable.
§ Mr. LawsonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that if these persons were detained by the Germans, they would not write any letters?
§ Mr. Morrisonindicated assent.