SPECIAL BRANCH RAIDS (Hansard, 16 March 1972)

§ Mr. Atkinson
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, could you help me? I came to see you before the House sat today to seek your advice about some of the arrests that took place yesterday in our constituencies and concerning our own constituents. I refer in particular to a constituent in Haringey, who was arrested yesterday morning at five past six, called Seamus O'Kane—[Laughter.]—

§ Mr. Orme
What is funny about that?

§ Mr. Atkinson
The police, who remained in the house until 5.45 p.m., insisted that Mr. O'Kane had been arrested under the powers given to them by the Special Powers Act in Northern Ireland, and that it was the intention—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. Will the hon. Gentleman indicate what the point of order is?

§ Mr. Atkinson
The point of order is that I understand that this is a new departure, where the police are announcing to arrested people that they are using special powers. As I understand it, they are not applicable in this country, and, therefore, I should like to find a 776 way, if you could explain one to me, Mr. Speaker, to seek the assurance of the House that no one will be arrested in this country and taken to Ireland for internment. That man was arrested at five past six yesterday morning—[Interruption.]—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. I find it very tiresome that those who object to other Members interrupting from a sedentary position do just the same themselves. That applies to both sides of the House.
I have sympathy with the hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr. Atkinson). The matter has been raised by the Leader of the Opposition, and the Leader of the House has said that he will convey the right hon. Gentleman's view to the Home Secretary. This is not a matter with which I can deal within the rules of order. The hon. Gentleman must pursue it through the ways available to him. They are not by means of a point of order.

§ Mr. Atkinson
I am seeking guidance as to how to protect my constituents. I finish on this point. It is now some 34 hours since the arrest of the person to whom I referred. No charges have been made. I ask you, Mr. Speaker, and I ask you as a lawyer, whether you could advise me on this. I understand that had he been arrested under English terms—a magistrates' warrant and the like—he would of necessity have been charged within 24 hours. The fact that he has not been charged within 34 hours would suggest that the police are claiming extraordinary rights of arrest under special powers not aplicable here. Could you advise me, Mr. Speaker, as a lawyer, how to protect my constituents?

§ Mr. Speaker
The hon. Gentleman has asked me to advise him as a lawyer. The advice one gets from a lawyer free is usually worth precisely what one pays for it. [Laughter.]
As Speaker of the House, I have sympathy with the hon. Gentleman, but there are other ways to do what he wants. I know exactly what I should do if I were a private Member in his situation. I do not think I should try to do it by means of a point of order.