HL Deb 27 April 1948 vol 155 cc456-8WA
LORD KILLANIN

asked His Majesty's Government whether they are aware that all I.R.A. and political prisoners in the twenty-six counties of Ireland have now been released, and whether, in view of this, they would now consider a general amnesty to allow the I.R.A. prisoners at present in Parkhurst to return to Ireland.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

As explained in my reply to a question asked by the noble Lord on February 12, it is the; Home Secretary's practice, in accordance with the ordinary practice in the case of long sentences of penal servitude, to review from time to time the individual cases of the prisoners who are serving sentences of penal servitude for the part they took in the I.R.A. outrages in 1939 and 1940, and the noble Lord will be aware that as a result of these periodic reviews it has been found possible to release several of these prisoners earlier than in the ordinary course. The Home Secretary has seen reports of the release of I.R.A. prisoners who were serving long sentences in Eire, but he sees no grounds to justify him in departing from the ordinary procedure in the case of prisoners serving sentences of penal servitude in this country.

House adjourned at ten minutes before seven o'clock.