§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the alleged payments for the maintenance of the Irishmen deported by the English Government from Ireland last February without charge or trial are the amounts properly incurred by them for that purpose; if only part of that amount, who provides the balance; if a scale has been fixed, what is the rate paid to or on behalf of each deportee at Bromyard, Leominster, Ledbury, Kington, Wetherby, and Fair 42W ford, respectively; what is the number of dependants of each of the deported; whether he is aware that, immediately on the deportations last February, dependants were notified by those from whom they had been accustomed to get their supplies that, owing to war conditions, goods could in future be supplied only on a cash basis; what aggregate rate of maintenance is alleged as being paid to those dependant on each of the deported; whether these payments have been made as from the date of the deportations; if 43W not, will he say why not; what reason there is for considering the payments to either deportees or their dependants adequate while the current prices of necessaries prevail; the payments being insufficient for food alone, when and on what scale are payments to be made to the deportees for clothes and other necessaries, and to their dependants for clothes, rent, rates, taxes, and usual necessaries; what compensation is to be made, and when, for loss of business from indefinite prolongation of banishment; will he explain how it is that some of those banished have not yet received anything for the early weeks of their banishment, that their dependants have not received any payment, and that their circumstances have not yet been investigated; when will the arrears be paid; and why the account furnished on the 17th April by Mr. J. J. O'Kelly for expenses of himself and his family has not yet been paid?
§ Mr. DUKEAs I informed the hon. Member on the 3rd May, the rate of maintenance for the deportees was at first fixed at from £l to £l 5s. per week, but this has been exceeded where the expenses of maintenance made it necessary. As regards dependants, inquiry has been made into the circumstances of each family, and the rate of maintenance, namely, 10s. a week for a wife and 3s. a week for each child, is the same as that paid in the case of the families of interned aliens. The allowances have been paid from the date when the Government undertook liability. A case has arisen in which the question of the provision of clothing for a deportee is being considered, but no decision has yet been reached. The other matters referred to cannot be discussed in reply to a question in Parliament.
§ Mr. NIELDasked the Home Secretary what guarantee is there that applications for the making of deportation orders, although regular on the face of them and plausible as to the reasons assigned, may not be due to indirect and vindictive motives; is it permitted to a person against whom an order is sought, or after it is made, to be afforded an opportunity of challenging the allegations made against him and of having the same tested by cross-examination; and whether, in view of maintaining the hitherto universal belief in the integrity of British justice and the inviolable right of sanctuary, he will consider the advisability 44W of altering the practice so as to afford the person affected a chance of showing cause against the order being put into operation?
§ Sir G. CAVEI would refer the hon. and learned Member to the replies given to his questions on this subject on the 8th May.