§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will consider introducing legislation to deport, upon a verdict of guilty of treason, following spying activities against this country, all who are not natural British subjects, following their sentence of imprisonment, and to deprive British subjects so sentenced of all civil rights following their release;
(2) what consideration he has given to the need to amend the law to enforce deportation of all people found guilty of spying activities against the United Kingdom, following their sentence of imprisonment.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI am already empowered by the Aliens Order, 1953, to make a deportation order against any alien if I deem that course to be conducive to the public good; but in practice the exercise of this power is subject to some country being willing to admit the alien in question. As regards the deportation of British subjects, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my hon. and learned Friend the Joint Under-Secretary of State in reply to the debate on 17th February. As at present advised I do not contemplate legislation of the nature proposed by the hon. Member.