§ Major Milnerasked the Home Secretary whether he will catalogue die various committees and tribunals and other bodies set up to deal with various classes of aliens, indicating their composition with the names of their members and the precise functions of each?
§ 6. Mr. H. MorrisonFollowing is the information
1. The Committee appointed by the Home Secretary to advise him on questions of policy relating to the internment of aliens of enemy nationality.Terms of reference:
- (i) to keep under review the application of the principles laid down in regard to the internment of enemy aliens and to make to the Home Secretary such suggestions and recommendations thereon as they think fit;
- (ii) to advise the Home Secretary on such proposals for modifying the internment policy as he may refer to them from time to time; and
- (iii) to examine, and make recommendations upon such individual cases as may be referred to them from time to time by the Home Secretary.
Members:
Mr. Justice Asquith (Chairman).
Sir Herbert Emerson, G.C.I.E., K.C.S.I., C.B.E
Major-General Sir Neill Malcolm, K.C.B., D.S.O.
2. The Committee appointed by the Dome Secretary to review eases of interned ItaliansChairman: The Rt. Hon. Sir Percy Loraine. G.C.M.G.
Panel O.
Mr. Richard O'Sullivan, K.C. (Deputy Chairman).
Mr. Bernard Sullivan, M.B.E.
Mr. A. Alexander.
1989WTerms of reference:—
To consider the cases of Italians interned in pursuance of the prerogative powers who come within one or other of the categories of eligibility for release from internment, and to advise the Secretary of State whether any such Italian who applies for reletuie can be regarded as so friendly and well disposed to the Allied cause that he can safely be released without prejudice to the national interest.
This Committee will act, in respect of Italians, as the Tribunal for the purposes of Categories 19 and 22 of the White Paper.
(Note.—Panels A and B are not concerned with aliens interned under prerogative powers, but are charged with the examination of cases of persons who, being British subjects of Italian origin or British subjects possessing also Italian nationality, have been detained under Defence Regulation 18B.)
(3) The Tribunal appointed by the Home. Secretary to consider applications under Categories 19 and 22 of the White Pa per.
Terms of reference:—
To be a Tribunal to consider applications for release from internment made by Germans and Austrians who claim to come within Category 19 of the White Paper (Cmd. 6223) presented to Parliament in August. 1940, and to report whether enough is known of the history of any such applicant to show that by his writings or speeches or political or official activities he has consistently, over a period of years, taken a public and prominent part in opposition to the Nazi system and is actively friendly towards the Allied cause.
Members:
Sir Cecil James Barrington Hurst, G.C.M.G., K.C.B. (Chairman),Sir Andrew McFadyean.
Professor Robert William Seton Watson.
Mr. Ivone Augustine Kirkpatrick, C.M.G.
This Committee also acts, in respect of Germans and Austrians, as the Tribunal for the purpose of Category 22 of the White Paper (Cmd. 6233).
The Committee appointed by the Home Secretary to review cases of Germans and Austrians in Category B.
Terms of reference:—
To review the classification of interned Germans and Austrians classified in Category B, whose cases have not been reviewed by a Regional Advisory Committee.
Members:
Sir Robert Dummett (Chairman).
Mr. H. R. Gelling.
Mrs. G. Skelton.
Mrs. Trevor Fenwick.
The Committee appointed by the Hume Secretary to advise him on cases of non-enemy aliens detained under Article 12 (5A) of the Aliens Order.
ChairmenThe Rt. Hon. Sir Francis Lindley, G.C.M.G., C.B.E.
(This Committee is in process of reconstitution. Its composition has not yet been finally settled, but the original inter-Departmental 1990W Committee under the Chairmanship of Sir Francis Lindley is in the meantime continuing to function in respect of special cases.)
The Council on Aliens appointed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Terms of reference:—
- (a) To suggest measures for maintaining the morale of aliens in this country so as to bind them more closely to our common cause;
- (b) to review and if necessary to suggest measures for the co-ordination, to the end described in (a) above, of the work of the various refugee committees and other voluntary organisations concerned with aliens in this country;
- (c) to maintain contact with the various Government Departments having responsibilities in connection with refugees and other classes of aliens and with foreign Governments or National Committees established in this country;
- (d) to advise and assist the Home Office in the arrangements made for the welfare of enemy aliens in internment camps; and
- (e) to study, and make recommendations upon the problem of finding occupations for enemy aliens in internment camps.
- Members:
- The Rt. Hon. The Earl of Lytton, K.G., G.C.S.I., G.C.1.E. (Chairman).
- Sir Herbert Emerson, K.C.S.1., G.C.I.E., C.B.E. (Vice-Chairman).
- Mr. H. W. Butcher, M. P.
- Mr. E. Edwards,
- Mr. H. Graham White, M.P.
- Mr. G. Latham, M.P.
- Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, M.P.
- Mr. Neil Maclean, M.P.
- Major-General Sir Neill Malcolm, K.C.B., D.S.O.
- Miss E. Rathbone, M.P.
- The Marchioness of Reading.
- The Rt. Hon. Earl Winterton, M.P.
(The appointment of three new members to replace members who have resigned is under consideration.)
In addition there are nine ad hoc Cornmittees appointed for the purposes of Categories 8 and 20 of the White Paper.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary what are the facilities given to C aliens in Canada and Australia to join the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps; and have they the same rights and opportunities for doing so enjoyed by internees in this country?
§ Mr. MorrisonIt is my hope and that of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War that it may he possible to extend the facilities for enlistment in the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps to German and Austrian internees in Category C who have been sent to Canada and Australia. Steps are already being taken to invite applications from those in Canada and similar steps with regard to 1991W those in Australia will be taken as soon as practicable.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether he will release the internee, Abe Mencher, a Jew, aged 33, living here since five years old, on the ground that his brother being British is serving in the Army, and his British-born wife and children are in great want?
§ Mr. MorrisonI understand that this Question refers to Abe Menchur Tabacman. This man's case has been referred to the Tribunal appointed to consider applications for release under Category 22 of the White Paper on the ground of long residence in this country.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary the average expenditure per heal on the internees; and how the weekly cost for the maintenance of the camps, including food, supervision, etc., compares with the Unemployment Assistance Boar grants for the individual cases?
§ Mr. MorrisonI regret that figures which would enable me to give the desired information are not available.
§ Major Milnerasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that, notwithstanding the terms of category 3 of the White Paper to the effect that release of internees certified medically unfit to remain in internment will be authorised without delay, such internees are being detained for weeks after the date of the certificate; and whether he will state the reason for the delay and give instructions for the White Paper to be adhered to in these cases?
§ Mr. MorrisonIn any case in which the camp medical officer reports that release on medical grounds is a matter of urgency, release is authorised at once. There are, however, cases in which there is no immediate urgency and account has to be taken of security considerations as well as of medical considerations. In such cases there may be some days' delay while inquiries are being made as to what is known about the individual in question. As stated in the White Paper the release of any individual internee may be refused on security grounds.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that volunteers for the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps who were accepted as far back as Sep- 1992W tember are still awaiting their call up and are consequently not being released from the internment camps; and whether he will now release Mr. Herbert Neuhaus, who, for the above reason has been prevented from joining his young wife and British-born son while waiting to be called up?
§ Mr. MorrisonI am informed that there is very little delay between the time when it is decided that an applicant for enlistment is acceptable on security grounds and the time of actual enlistment. In the case of Mr. Herbert Neuhaus, it was not until 29th October that it was decided he was a suitable candidate, and he actually enlisted on 5th November.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether the advisory committee has reached a decision as to whether Category 15 in the White Paper should be extended to other members than a Bridsh-born or naturalised sons serving in His Majesty's Forces?
§ Mr. MorrisonNo such recommendation has been submitted to me, and I think that there are good reasons for not extending this category in the sense proposed.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the case of the Labour leader Karl Mrak, who was deported to Australia and whose wife has not been permitted to join him, although an explicit promise to that effect was given to him; and whether his release will now be ordered on the ground that Mr. Mrak is an engineer and an expert for repair of gaspipe damage, in which capacity he occupied a responsible position with the municipality of Vienna?
§ Mr. MorrisonAs regards the first part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a Question by him on 13th November. As regards the second part, there is no trace of an application for release made either by Mr. Mrak or on his behalf. This gentleman, together with his wife, came to this country with the intention of emigrating to the United States of America. I am at present considering what arrangements can be made for facilitating the migration of internees sent overseas without the necessity of bringing them back to this country.
1993W
§ Sir R. Aclandasked the Home Secretary how many internees have been released under the provisions of Category 19, how many under Category 3, how many under Category 9, and how many under Category 14?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe total number of cases under Category 19 reported on by the Tribunal up to date is 68: and release has been authorised in a large number of these cases. The statistics of the decisions have not yet been tabulated, but I will communicate the figures as soon as possible to my hon. Friend. In no case have I dissented from the recommendation of the tribunal. Three thousand eight hundred and ninety-one internees have been released temporarily or permanently on medical grounds under Category 3. Sixty-nine doctors and dentists have been released under Category 9. Twenty-five employers engaged in work certified by a Government Department to be of value to the community have been released under Category 14.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the changed circumstances and the injury done to our good name, and traditions, he will now reconsider the policy of wholesale internment of Jewish refugees in this country during such a war as this?
§ Mr. MorrisonAs I indicated in a reply to a Question by my right hon. Friend on 17th October, it would not be right that any policy of internment which may be adopted should be based on a distinction between Jews and others.