§ 12. Lieut.-Colonel Hydeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why travellers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are still required to be in possession of passports or travel identity cards; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EdeThe requirement is necessary in order to enable the entry of aliens into Great Britain through the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland to be controlled. Control at the land border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland is not practicable.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HydeIf, as I understand it, the real purpose of these travel regulations is to check the movements of citizens of the Republic of Eire travelling between their country and this country by way of Northern Ireland, could the right hon. Gentleman say why these checks cannot be equally well, if not better, carried out by the security authorities in Northern Ireland? Does the Home Secretary realise that the continuance of these war-time restrictons is causing grave resentment on the part of many British subjects travelling from one loyal part of the United Kingdom to another?
§ Mr. EdeI know that inconvenience is caused, but it is not only citizens of the Irish Republic whom it is necessary to check in this way. Unless this check was applied, very undesirable aliens might enter this country via the Irish Republic, because the check made at the Irish Republic ports is not nearly as close and severe as at our ports.