§ 62. Mr. Dribergasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that the hon. and gallant Member 1935 for Peebles and Southern (Captain Ramsay) has circulated to certain hon. Members of this House a document containing what purport to be the particulars alleged by the Home Office as reasonable grounds for his detention; and if, for the information of all hon. Members, he will circulate in HANSARD a full version of such particulars.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI have seen a newspaper report of statements alleged to have been made by the hon. and gallant Member as to the grounds for his detention. Regulation 18B provides that the chairman of the Advisory Committee shall furnish a person detained under the Regulation with such particulars of the grounds on which the detention order was made as are in the opinion of the chairman sufficient to enable him to present his case. For reasons which I explained at length in the Debate on 16th June, it would be wrong for me to disclose these particulars. If the recipient of such particulars chooses to make or publish a statement about them, my duty to refrain from any public statement remains unaffected, and I cannot depart from the policy which has been consistently followed and stated to the House.
§ Mr. DribergSince, by the hon. and gallant Member's action, these particulars, which were official and secret, have received at any rate a limited amount of publicity, is it not desirable, for the information of all hon. Members, that they should be put on record?
§ Mr. MorrisonApplication had better be made to the hon. and gallant Member for Peebles and Southern (Captain Ramsay). I must have a principle in this matter. It must be remembered that these people were not convicted of anything, not found guilty under the law. They were detained by my will because I thought it reasonable and necessary in the national interest, and I think it would be wrong to blazon forth the charges—or rather, not the charges but the grounds on which their detention was made.