§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, my right honourable friend the Colonial Secretary has just answered in another place a Question of which he had Private Notice. The Question put to him was as follows:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will name the three men now charged in connection with the public outrage in Aden, and what steps he has taken to obtain the release of other detainees against whom no charges are being made?413 My right honourable friend replied:No charges have yet been preferred. The answer to the second part of the question is, No.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I do not know what is the origin of the information which the questioner in the House of Commons put to me this morning, but he said that he had obtained information that three men were being charged. Has any inquiry been made since Notice was given of the Question? I think that Notice was given fairly early this morning, and one can get pretty quick consultations. I do not need to comment further, unless we can be told whether we are likely to have information on the point l have put before the end of to-day's Sitting.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I am in some difficulty, for the simple reason that I had no information that any such question was going to be asked or that the noble Earl was going to make any inquiries until just a few minutes before 1 o'clock. My noble friend the Duke of Devonshire unfortunately has a very important engagement, and I can only say that the Question was tabled by a Member of the noble Earl's Party in the House of Commons and that that was the answer of my right honourable friend. I am really not in a position to say—I hope the noble Earl will understand—what, if any, communications have passed between Aden and this country this morning. I am able to say that, so far as I am aware, that is the present position. I am sorry I cannot give the noble Earl any more information on the particular point he has asked.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I want to make it clear to the noble and learned Lord that there was no intention on my part to be discourteous. I approached both the usual channels and his Secretary midmorning this morning, and I understood that he was engaged in the Cabinet and had another important appointment afterwards before he could reach this House. But reference was then made to the Commonwealth Office, with the help of the officials of the Lord Chancellor, so I do not understand why the information has not been communicated to him before now. It seems to me that there 414 would have been time, from the time that Mr. Bottomley in another place had given Notice to raise this Question, to communicate with Aden, and for Par-Parliament to be informed before the Christmas Recess begins whether the suggestion is true or untrue that a charge has been made.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I was not in the least complaining about the noble Earl's action; I was merely seeking to explain why I was not in a position to answer his supplementary question, which related to communications between Aden and this country taking place this morning. Indeed, I have been supplied with ample notes on many matters, but that does not happen to be one of them. No charges have yet been preferred. I can tell the noble Earl that quite positively. I do not think I can say any more which will give him any information in answer to the specific question he put. I do not know how many of those now detained will be charged with offences, or, indeed, when such charges will be preferred. I can well imagine, in view of the noble Earl's interest in this matter and having regard to the situation in Aden, that charges will be preferred with the least possible delay.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am particularly anxious that that should be done, because, through the courtesy of the noble Duke the Duke of Devonshire, I have received a copy of the Emergency Regulations, and there are one or two points in the Regulations about which we ought to get further understanding. If the noble Duke is not available at the end of this cross-questioning, perhaps the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor will see me about it.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I shall be only too glad to discuss with the noble Earl any points he has on the drafting of the Regulations, a copy of which, once again, I have had supplied to me only a few moments ago. They are, I understand, Regulations made after the bomb outrage, and in the course of the bomb outrage the chief draftsman suffered some injury, so there may be some drafting defects. I have had no opportunity yet of considering the Regulations. When I have finished with the Administration of 415 Justice Bill, I shall be only too glad to discuss the matter with the noble Earl.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, as it is evident that a large number of persons are detained in Aden, and as the noble Duke the Duke of Devonshire has already promised us further information about that, may I ask the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor whether he would convey to the noble Duke two further questions? First of all, are the Government satisfied about the conditions under which certain persons who are detained are being held in prison in one of the States of the Federation? Secondly, what is the reason why persons who are residents of Aden are detained in one of the States, and not in Aden?
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I cannot answer the second question, but with regard to the first question I can say that there have been wild reports that the detainees have been maltreated. The British medical officer visited them and has reported that there is no truth in these stories. It is unfortunate that there should have been the need to detain these people, but I do not know whether your Lordships have, by any chance, seen something which was broadcast to Aden, when the workers in Aden were urged on November 25 to carry arms and to use them in Aden. Then, on December 10, the day of the incident, it was broadcast:
This is not the last bomb. Our brothers in the South are prepared to throw over bombs, and will do so in Britain herself if possible.In these circumstances, there was a real need for emergency measures and to detain certain individuals.