§ LORD KILLANINMy Lords, I would like to ask the question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government, whether they will review the cases of 30 I.R.A. prisoners who are serving a total of 551 years penal servitude in Parkhurst Prison with a view to a general amnesty or individual release in order that they may return to Ireland.]
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VISCOUNT JOWITT)My Lords, I have been asked to reply. It is the invariable practice of the Home Secretary to review from time to time all cases of persons sentenced to long terms of penal servitude, and to consider the question whether in any given case the time has come when the offender can properly be released on licence. All the cases of these men will be reviewed individually in accordance with this practice from time to time. I cannot, of course, anticipate in any way what the result of this periodical review will be, but I can assure the noble Lord that in these cases, as in other cases, there will be no failure to take account of any consideration which tells in favour of advancing the date of an individual prisoner's release on licence.
§ LORD KILLANINMy Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Viscount on the Woolsack for his reply. I would like to ask him if it is not a fact that these long-term sentences are reviewed only every four years, and that there are 22 prisoners in Parkhurst at the moment whose average age is still under thirty and whose sentences will not be reviewed until 1951?
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I have no reason to doubt that the Home Secretary will review these cases, as I have said, from time to time as and when the occasion demands.
§ LORD SHERWOODMight I ask the Lord Chancellor also if any consultation has taken place with Mr. de Valera in regard to these cases?
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORI should have to have notice of that question.