Terrorism and Justice If there had been any doubt of
the Government's ability to carry the Prevention of Violence Bill, framed as an instru- ment against the I.R.A. terrorists, through the House of Commons without serious opposition the outrage at King's Cross on Wednesday, while the measure was being debated, would have settled the matter. Both the Labour and the Liberal Oppositions had a series of amendments down, and Sir Samuel Hoare readily accepted one of them, requiring him to give an account to the House every three months of the steps he had taken under the measure. A more important proposal was that of Mr. Dingle Foot, that the administrative action taken should be subjected to appeal before a High Court Judge, but Sir Samuel Hoare, holding that this would involve precisely the kind of delay it was necessary to avoid, could only offer instead the appoint- ment of some unofficial person or persons to review the information received by the Home Office with freedom to interview the complainants and if necessary make repre- sentations to him. As Mr. Wedgwood Benn observed, with Sir Samuel Hoare's cordial agreement, the discussion was one which did Parliament credit. The Bill was got through the House with the expedition which events made neces- sary, but solicitude regarding any unnecessary infringe- ment of the liberty of the subject was freely expressed, and met by the Government in a sympathetic and liberal spirit.
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