§ 5. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the facts that the literary remains of the late Sir Roger Casement are still in the custody of the British Government and that they are part of the history of Great Britain and Ireland, what arrangements exist to give Irish scholars and historians access to them for perusal and for literary and historical purposes.
§ Sir F. SoskiceThe Casement diaries in the Public Record Office may be examined by historians, other responsible persons who have made a study of Casement's life and persons qualified to express an informed opinion on their authenticity. Applications for permisison to examine the diaries should be addressed to the Home Office.
§ Mr. Hector HughesDoes not the Home Secretary realise that the Answer he has given is not the answer to my Question? Would it not be reasonable, logical, politically expedient and academically correct, as well as just, to allow Sir Roger Casement's literary remains to follow his mortal remains to Eire? Is not the administration of the Home Office, which has refused to do this over many years, a disgraceful example? Will my right hon. and learned Friend change it?
§ Sir F. SoskiceThe answer to the first part of the question is that I think that my Answer was the answer to the Question. The answer to the second part of the question is that it raises a completely new issue outside the scope of the Question. The answer to the third part of the question is that the administration of the Home Office is not disgraceful.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesIs the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that there are also diaries of Sir Roger Casement in the Dublin National Library and that 1644 I have obtained photostat copies of these diaries from there? Will he consider giving Irish students the same opportunity of getting photostat copies of the entries in the British diaries? Is he aware that in the Irish diaries there are no indecencies at all and that the only indecencies are those which were a long time in the possession of Scotland Yard and the Home Office?
§ Sir F. SoskiceThe answer to the first question is that I was not aware that my hon. Friend had obtained photostat copies of the diaries to which he referred. The answer to the second part of the question is that applications from responsible persons made to the Home Office are each considered on their merits and, when it is possible to grant them, they are certainly granted, as it is desired that a legitimate and proper study should be made of these diaries. The answer to the third part of the question is that I was not aware that there were any indecencies in the copy my hon. Friend has, because I have not studied it.
§ Mr. LubbockAre not most of the scholars and historians who would like to examine these diaries Irish, and would it not, therefore, be more convenient if they were located in Dublin?
§ Sir F. SoskiceThe answer to the first part of the question is that only some of the persons who made the applications were citizens of the Irish Republic. Others were not, and the balance of convenience in that aspect of the matter is therefore in doubt.