§ 43. Mr. Viantasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any consideration has been given to the granting of an amnesty to prisoners as a mark of appreciation for the cessation of hostilities and, if not, will he give it favourable consideration.
§ Mr. EdeI have already given careful consideration to this question and I decided that the old custom of granting an amnesty to prisoners on occasions of public rejoicing, which has been abandoned for more than a generation, ought not to be revived at the present day.
§ 46. Colonel Ropnerasked the Prime Minister if he can make an early statement as to the arrangements which it is proposed to make for full-scale peace celebrations, victory parades and other matters of that kind; and in particular whether any special date or dates will be fixed for celebrations throughout the country.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)I am not yet in a position to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member on 9th October.
§ Colonel RopnerCould the right hon. Gentleman say whether it is suggested that there should be one or more fixed days for peace celebrations which would be applicable to the whole country? There are villages and towns that want to know whether they will have their days fixed for them or whether they are to be allowed to choose the days themselves.
§ Mr. AttleeI have not really had time since the 9th to go into this question in detail but I am looking into it now, and I will let the hon. and gallant Member know as soon as I can make a further statement.