61. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, as distinct from the 15,000 officers who at present have power to enter without warrant into private houses and premises, he can now state the number in the limited category with the right to demand entry into private houses, excluding Customs and Excise officers and factory inspectors.
§ Mr. JayAbout 2,000; of whom a few are in the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the rest are divided between the War Damage Commission and the Inland Revenue Valuation Office. The powers are very rarely used in practice.
Mr. De la BèreHow can the Government claim that this is a free country, when snoopers without warrants belonging to the Ministry of Civil Aviation can enter private houses? Is not it a real negation of liberty comparable with a totalitarian State, and can we have an assurance that these people will not be allowed to enter without a warrant?
§ Mr. JayI believe that the use of these powers should be kept to the absolute minimum, and that that is, in fact, done.
Mr. StanleyDid I understand the Financial Secretary to say they are mostly employees of the Minister of Civil Aviation? Why do they want to go into a private house—to see if people are hiding an aeroplane there?
§ Mr. JayI said that a few were employees of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The reason why they were given power to enter such place was for the purpose of extinguishing or screening any light cons- 1366 idered liable to cause any difficulty to landing aircraft.
Mr. De la BèreIn view of the fact that this is a national scandal, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter again at the earliest opportunity.