42. Mrs. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider instituting some method by which persons deported from a Colonial Territory without any hearing of their case may appeal against such a decision.
§ Mr. LytteltonColonial Governments must retain the normal right of all administrations to deport aliens without prior judicial inquiry or subsequent appeal. As stated in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. R. Robinson) on 22nd October, most Colonial Governors have agreed that judicial process should normally be obligatory before a British subject or protected person is deported. Correspondence is proceeding with other Governors. But there must occasionally be cases in which the public interest would not permit the delay involved by an inquiry or appeal.
Mrs. WhiteIs the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that in cases such as that of Mr. Peter Wright in Kenya, which prompted this Question, it is a proper state of affairs that a British subject, who has committed no legal offence, should be deported without being given any hearing and without being told at any time directly what the charges are against him; that these charges should have to be elicited piecemeal by means of Questions in this House, and that his only method of replying should be by correspondence published in the public Press. Would he not agree that this is a preposterous way of proceeding?
§ Mr. LytteltonThe hon. Lady is misinformed on many of these matters. This gentleman was a civil servant and precluded from political activities. She will also appreciate that I tried so far as possible not to make information known that would damage the future of the officer concerned, and therefore when I am pressed I am obliged to do so. I think she will understand that there is some difficulty in this matter.