§ 28. Commander Bowerasked the Home Secretary having regard to his decision that the British Communist Party are not loyal to this country, how many members of this party are now detained under Regulation 18B?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonNo persons are detained under Defence Regulation I8B merely on the ground of membership of the British Communist Party.
§ Commander BowerSince my right hon. Friend has decided—in my view, rightly—not to intern these people, whose loyalty he publicly impugned, will he now, in the fair and just exercise of his quasi-judicial powers, release such internees against whom there is no evidence of actual, and very slender presumption of potential, treachery?
§ Mr. MorrisonNo, Sir. I presume that the hon. and gallant Gentleman refers to Members of the former British Union of Fascists.
§ Commander BowerNo, Sir.
§ Mr. MorrisonThere are no Communists interned. No British subjects who are Communists are interned as such.
§ Mr. GallacherIs it not the case that the Minister has not "decided," but has merely expressed a foolish opinion?
§ Mr. MorrisonWhether it is foolish or not is a matter of opinion.
§ Sir Irving AlberyAre any members of the British Union interned merely because they were members of the British Union?
§ 36. Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of certain changes in the relations between this country and Russia, he will now permit the release from internment of the three Communist ex-members of the German Reichstag?
§ Mr. MorrisonI have decided to authorise the release of one of the men referred to. Another case has been referred to the Category 19 Tribunal, whose report I am awaiting. The third man is in Canada, and I have given authority for his return to this country, if he is willing, with a view to the reference of his case to the Tribunal.
§ Mr. WedgwoodWill their passports be marked "friendly alien"?
§ Major-General Sir Alfred KnoxIs there not more worry about one internee than about 99 just Englishmen?