asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is prepared to disclose, if necessary in Secret Session, the reasons which have guided him in refusing to accept the recommendations of his Advisory Committee in regard to the release of British subjects interned under Regulation 18B?

No, Sir, my right hon. Friend could not undertake to disclose even in Secret Session the reason why he has felt unable in the interests of national security to adopt the Committee's recommendation that a particular individual should be released. As my right hon. Friend has explained in the course of Debate on Defence Regulation 18B, in the cases where he has differed from the Committee it has not been on questions of fact but on the question whether, accepting the Committee's view of the facts, the interests of national security require that the individual concerned should continue to be detained.

asked the Home Secretary what useful, profitable or educational duties are open to persons interned under Regulation 18B?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my right hon. Friend's replies on nth June to the hon. Member for the Combined English Universities (Mr. E. Harvey) and to himself. As regards educational facilities, there is a sufficient supply of educational books both in prisons and in the Camp at Peel, and, in addition to the Camp Reading Room at Peel, a separate house has been set apart for classes and study.

Does my hon. Friend think that it is right or justifiable in these days that any able-bodied people should not be suitably employed on war or other useful work?

I think that feeling in the House would certainly be strongly against subjecting detainees to compulsory labour.

Does not my hon. Friend think that it would be inequitable if there were no differentiation between the position of detainees who have not been tried and prisoners who have been tried by the ocurts?

Yes, Sir. That is one of the reasons why these people are not compelled to go to work.

Could they not be given the opportunity of learning a trade?

Could not Sir Oswald Mosley have been invited to work?

asked the Home Secretary whether he can make any general statement on the more effective employment of voluntary Civil Defence workers who, for the moment, are finding sufficient leisure to help in other directions also?

I am not clear whether my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to employment for whole-time or for part-time members of the Civil Defence Services, but the potential loss to production inherent in the present system of manning will diminish with the development of the policy of release to industry and providing alternative employment referred to in Home Security Circular 88 /1942, of which I am sending him a copy. So far as part-time members of the Services are concerned, the majority are engaged in standby duty after a full day's work. My right hon. Friend fears that it is not practicable to attempt to organise industrial work during night shifts at the Civil Defence depots. These are widely dispersed, employ relatively small numbers and seldom have workshop facilities.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to a publication entitled "Review of World Affairs," dated 1st June, 1942, in which untrue and derogatory statements are made about our Russian Allies calculated to weaken confidence in the alliance; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to the Question by the hon. Member for Denbigh (Sir H. Morris-Jones).