§ Lord Joplingasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people were interned in the United Kingdom during the course of World War II; what collective description was used as a criterion for internment; and whether laws or regulations are currently in force to intern people under the same criteria or amended criteria. [HL1116]
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn)Information is currently being collated from the Public Record Office regarding the number of people interned in the United Kingdom during World War II, and I will write to the noble Lord as soon as this information is available. By virtue of the passage of time this exercise is not straightforward.
A collective description used as a criterion for internment during World War II is set out in Section 18B Subsection I of the Defence Regulations, being regulations made under the Emergency Powers (Defence) Acts, 1939 and 1940, printed as amended up to and including 4 October 1940.
Part IV of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act allows the detention of those the Secretary of State has certified as threats to national security and who are suspected of being international terrorists where their removal is not possible at the present time.