§ Mr. SNELLasked the Home Secretary if he will grant the Return, Irish Political Prisoners, standing in the name of the hon. Member for East Woolwich—
303WAddress for Return of Prisoners convicted of offences committed in connection with Sinn Fein or other political activities with respect to the government of Ireland prior to the making of the Irish Treaty and now serving sentences imposed by British Courts, and of persons so convicted and sentenced in Northern Ireland and now in British prisons, showing the name, date when sentenced, duration of the sentence, and the nature of the offence in each case."—[Mr. Snell.]
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONMy right hon. Friend knows of no cases of Irishmen convicted by English Courts and now in prison whose offences could fairly be described as political. With regard to prisoners convicted in Northern Ireland he has only such information as is relevant to the period and conditions of their detention, but as the motives underlying a crime must in many cases be matter of conjecture he could not in any event make himself responsible for a return framed upon the basis suggested. The answer must therefore be in the negative.