HC Deb 12 October 1939 vol 352 cc530-1W
Mr. Leach

asked the Home Secretary what will be the remuneration of the members of the aliens tribunals?

Colonel Wedģwood

asked the Home Secretary what payment is made to the appointed members of the Aliens Tribunals, and is this payment an inclusive fee or a salary continuing until the work is finished?

Sir J. Anderson

Unless they are already receiving salaries as county court judges, stipendiary magistrates or Metropolitan magistrates, these gentleman will be entitled to fees at the rate of five guineas a day, or two and a half guineas for half-day sittings, subject to a maximum payment of 20 guineas a week.

Mr. Leach

asked the Home Secretary (1) how many members of the bar have been appointed to deal with appeals by aliens residing in the area comprising Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate, Keighley, and other towns; and will these members sit as one tribunal or will they each sit as a separate tribunal;

(2) whether, bearing in mind the fact that many of the towns are some considerable distance from Leeds, and the difficulties of transport at the present time, he will give instructions that, for the convenience of those concerned, the aliens tribunals shall sit at Bradford, where there are approximately 200 enemy aliens, and other places in the area, as well as at Leeds?

Sir J. Anderson

His Honour Judge Frankland, Mr. J. W. Jardine, K.C., and Mr. A. Morley, K.C., have been appointed to sit as three separate tribunals to examine cases of Germans and Austrians residing in the area comprising Leeds, Bradford, Halifax and certain neighbouring districts of the West Riding. The headquarters of these three tribunals are at present at Leeds. I am, however, most anxious that everything practicable shall be done to avoid the need for long and expensive journeys by those who have to appear before these tribunals; and I have asked all the gentlemen acting in provincial centres to consider whether they can arrange to hold some of their sittings in places other than their headquarters town if there are in their area considerable numbers of enemy aliens who could more conveniently attend at some other centre.