HC Deb 01 March 1945 vol 408 cc1561-2

The following Question stood upon the Order Paper in the name of Mr. G. STRAUSS:

61. To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he authorised the police raid on "Peace News" offices on 12th December; why the police removed all personal correspondence, account books and the office typewriter when the search warrant only permitted the seizure of articles in relation to a possible offence under Regulation 39A; how many searches in private houses have taken place in connection with this alleged offence; and whether any prosecutions will be launched.

Mr. G. Strauss

May I point out that "Peace News" should be "Freedom Press?"

Mr. H. Morrison

My hon. Friend is mistaken in thinking that the offices of "Peace News" have been raided by the police. I assume that he has in mind the search on 12th December last of the offices of Freedom Press and Express Printers, publishers and printers respectively of the anarchist paper "War Commentary." The search was authorised by a superintendent of police under paragraph 3 of Defence Regulation 88A because he had reasonable ground for suspecting a contravention of Defence Regulation 39A, which makes it an offence to endeavour to seduce from their duty persons in His Majesty's Service. The articles seized by the police were seized under the provisions of the Regulation which empowers persons searching under an authority to seize material which they have reasonable ground for believing to be evidence of the commission of an offence against the Defence Regulations or of an act prejudicial to the public safety or the defence of the realm. There were also searches in five private houses, and charges under Regulation 39A have already been brought against the occupants of three of them.

Mr. Strauss

May I ask whether it is really legitimate to take away an office typewriter in these circumstances; and whether, in the present stage of the war, and in view of the reasonable treatment of minorities in this country during the war so far, it is really necessary to institute this type of raid?

Mr. Morrison

With regard to the typewriter, I can assure my hon. Friend that it would not be expedient to give him details, but the typewriter may very well be material evidence in a case of this kind. With regard to the other matter I appreciate that the anarchist movement in this country is small and uninfluential, but, on the other hand, the prima facie evidence of the kind of activity it was conducting, indicated the possibility of serious offences.