asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what cases he has withdrawn the certificates of Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies; whether, in each such case, the responsible officers of the societies were given full details of complaints and an opportunity to answer them; and whether he will state the grounds upon which certificates were withdrawn.

The ground for withdrawing a certificate is that the continuance of the Society will be a hindrance rather than a help to the work of assisting discharged prisoners. The occasions on which the Home Secretary is forced to such a conclusion are rare, but in addition to the recent case there was one in 1937 and one in 1925. Obviously the Home Secretary, before coming to such a conclusion, must satisfy himself that the Society has been made aware of its shortcomings and given an opportunity to present its case.