33. Mr. Dugdaleasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to inform the House as to how many persons in Kenya have been detained four years or longer without trial.
§ Mr. J. AmeryI would refer the hon. Member to my further reply to the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Stone-house) circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 10th February.
Mr. DugdaleIs the hon. Gentleman aware that I am delighted that he has now found the information which he did not have in his possession before, and that I am only sorry he gave it in a Written Answer to my hon. Friend? I have taken the trouble to find it out. Is he aware that the number still in prison without trial is 2,900, of whom 800 have been in prison for four years without trial? Does he think that a satisfactory position, and one which the Government may view with pride?
§ Mr. AmeryWhen the House recalls that about 80,000 detainees have been released from the camps, those figures bear a different interpretation.
§ Mr. StonehouseCan the hon. Gentleman give information about the other categories of detainees not included in his reply? I refer particularly to those in the so-called "green" and "blue" categories who may be picked up for a month or so and detained without trial?
§ Mr. BevanWhat kind of satisfaction does the hon. Member think will be afforded to those still detained because a larger number have been released? Does he now measure his innocence by the size of his crime?
§ Mr. AmeryI was trying to indicate that the Government of Kenya have not been backward in coping with the result of an extremely difficult and dangerous emergency.
§ Mr. Stonehouse rose—
§ Mr. SpeakerMr. Stonehouse —Question No. 35.
§ 41. Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what cases of detainees in Takwa Special Detention Camp, Lamu, Kenya, are being re-heard by the Advisory Committee on Detainees.
§ Mr. J. AmeryThe Committee has begun to consider again cases where unsuccessful appeals were made in 1953 and 1954.
§ Mr. JohnsonWhy cannot the Minister do some homework for a change and consult his Civil Service and give this House decent factual Answers? On about six occasions today there has been no answer to perfectly simple Questions. Does not the hon. Gentleman agree that there are scandalous cases, in that people like Mr. Oneko should have been kept, not for two years or four years but for seven years languishing in this camp? They have never had their cases brought to light in public. No charge has been made against them. What on earth does the Minister intend to do about it?
§ Mr. AmeryMr. Oneko's case was considered again by the Advisory Committee on Detainees on 17th November last year, and the Committee recommended that he should continue to be detained. The Government are reviewing the conditions under which detention shall operate.
§ Mr. JohnsonMay I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Question I asked of the Colonial Secretary on 20th January? It was a similar Question to this, and I got a much more helpful Answer. He said that Mr. Oneko's case would be considered again.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsIt is a very long time now since the insurrection which brought about these detentions—many years. Does not the hon. Gentleman think it is time that the whole thing should be brought to an end and all these detainees released?
§ Mr. AmeryThe right hon. Gentleman has to remember that there is still a good deal of emergency problem in Kenya and that it would be a great mistake to move too fast in this matter.
§ Mr. GriffithsMay I press the hon. Gentleman on this matter? We all desire to see pacification in Kenya but are deeply disturbed about the situation. All these elements go to the making of a very great crisis. Are not there still persons who ought to be released but are detained without trial, and will he hurry up to bring this situation to an end before there is another explosion in Kenya?
§ Mr. AmeryI am sure that the right hon. Gentleman would be the last to want to prejudice or to retard the pacification and general appeasement which has been going on in that country, by the premature release of irreconcilable elements.
§ Mr. BottomleyIs not the hon. Gentleman aware that the then right hon. Member for Glasgow, Kelvingrove, Mr. Walter Elliot, who led a delegation from this House in 1954, and on which I had the honour to serve, recommended that these detainees should be released as soon as possible? That was in 1954, and there are still thousands detained. It is monstrous.
§ Mr. StonehouseOn a point of order. In view of the fact that the Minister has referred to the case of Mr. Oneko in reply to this Question this afternoon, a man who was acquitted by the Kenya Supreme Court, on all charges brought against him, I beg to give notice to you, Mr. Speaker, that I shall seek to raise this case again on the Adjournment.