Orders of the Day — Emergency Powers (Defence) Act, 1939 (Continuance).

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 23 July 1941.

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Photo of Mr Herbert Morrison Mr Herbert Morrison , Hackney South

There is a Question on the Order Paper, the answer to which I have not yet settled, and it would be more convenient if the hon. Member would leave it till the Question is put, when I hope to be able to give a definite answer.

My hon. Friend the Member for Cam bridge University (Mr. Pickthorn) made the suggestion that there should be an informal conference with Members of Parliament before each annual renewal of the Act. I think I have covered that point in principle in what I have said. I will give the point consideration, but it does raise the question whether it is right to have an informal conference with Members of Parliament before proposed legislative action when the effective decision has got to be made by the House of Commons in formal Session, and in all probability in public Session. I think we must be careful about prejudicing the rights of the House when it comes to formal public work in deliberative assembly. The hon. Member also raised the point, to which I will give consideration within the limits that I think were intended, that in some cases these people come out into the world without advice, I do not say without help in the way of compensation, because I think that would raise great difficulties. I feel there ought to be some sort of friendly organisation, which we could assist in running, so that it did not go wrong, to which the people who come out could go for advice, counsel and such aid as we could give to enable them to find their way about the world again. I will not give a promise about it, but I will consider it in a sym pathetic spirit.

My hon. Friend the Member for Lowestoft (Mr. Loftus) made a speech which I think went rather far. He quoted a number of individual cases, and so did my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich, as is his wont, and other Members have raised individual cases. I should like to deal with them—I must be frank with the House—because if the reports get into the newspapers there may be prejudice against the Home Office. In the first place, how ever, I cannot reply because I was not notified of the cases, at any rate of some of them, and, secondly, I had understood that we were not to discuss the merits of individual cases.