§ 45 and 47. Mr. Turnerasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) the number of appeal tribunals at present in existence throughout Kenya;
§ (2) if he is satisfied that those undergoing screening in the Kenya detention camps have full knowledge of the existence of appeal tribunals; and if he will make a statement.
371§ The Minister of State for Colonial Affairs (Mr. Henry Hopkinson)The Regulations provide that every person under a detention order shall be given the earliest opportunity to make written representations to the Governor, and shall be informed of his right of appeal. It is the duty of camp commandants to inform every detainee of this right, and the Advisory Committee itself interviews petitioners in the camps. There should not, therefore, be any risk of detainees being ignorant of their rights.
There is at present one Advisory Committee. The Governor considers that this is adequate to deal with the current flow of appeals against detention; but the system is capable of immediate expansion to meet any increase.
§ Mr. TurnerMy right hon. Friend has given a long and reassuring answer on this subject. Are he and the Secretary of State for the Colonies satisfied that through both the written and the spoken word the existence of these appeal tribunals is made fully known to the people in these camps?
§ Mr. HopkinsonI can certainly give that assurance. My right hon. Friend is entirely satisfied that every effort is made in the camps to make the existence of these appeal tribunals known.
§ Mr. StokesAm I right in assuming that, when the right hon. Gentleman speaks of advisory committees, he does not mean to include the screening committees, and that these are a separate organisation?
§ Mr. HopkinsonYes. This refers entirely to people under detention orders.