§ Mr. Lambertasked the Home Secretary whether casuals by adopting a vagrant life avoid any form of national service; of how many cases has he been notified in which casuals, having no identity cards, have wandered indiscriminately even in defence areas; whether the police have been empowered to arrest for failure to produce identity cards; and whether he will order that casuals, having no identity cards, may be detained pending registration or production of evidence of registration?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonIn reply to the first part of the Question, I would refer my right hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour to a Question by the hon. Member for Tamworth (Sir J. Mellor) on 19th February. I have no information as to the number of cases of vagrants found wandering without identity cards, but I have no reason to think that the number is substantial. I do not think that the special steps which my right hon. Friend suggests should be taken would be justified or would offer any effective safeguard from the point of view of public security.