HL Deb 13 July 1953 vol 183 cc555-6

4.15 p.m.

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)

My Lords, with the leave of the House I should like to make a short statement regarding the abduction from Ismailia on July 9 of Leading Aircraftman Rigden. Leading Aircraft-man Rigdenis believed to have been abducted from a hotel in the centre of Ismailia by two Egyptians on the night of Thursday, July 9. The British military authorities had strong grounds for believing that one of the two Egyptians seen with Rigden at the time of his abduction was an Egyptian officer and that the Egyptian authorities therefore knew about the incident. A British officer accordingly visited the Sub-Governor of Ismailia on July 10 to try and secure the co-operation of the Egyptian authorities to recover Rigden.

Since by the following day nothing effective had been done by the Egyptian authorities, the officer commanding the Northern Area of the Zone, on instructions from the General Officer Commanding British Troops in Egypt, visited the Sub-Governor of Ismailia and informed him that unless Rigden was returned by 9 a.m. on July 13 General Festing reserved the right to take certain measures which were bound to cause inconvenience to a large number of inhabitants in the Area. Rigden has not been returned and measures have therefore been taken as from 9 a.m. this morning to stop and search all traffic entering or leaving Ismailia by road or rail. In addition, Her Majesty's Embassy have made urgent representations to the Egyptian Government.

EARL JOWITT

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Marquess for making that statement. It is obvious that it involves a serious and very delicate situation. I should rather not say anything on the spur of the moment, but return, if I may, to this matter to-morrow. It may be that by that time the noble Marquess will have some further information which he can give us. At any rate, I should like to ask a Question then, if necessary, in order to comment on this statement.

THE MARQUESS OF READING

Could we leave it like this: that if I have any further information which I think I ought to give the House to-morrow, I will, so to speak, volunteer it in a statement? If I let the noble and learned Earl know that I have nothing to add to the statement I have just made, he will then be at liberty to put a Private Notice Question.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

The noble Marquess will realise that people are anxious about the fate of this man, and also about the general situation.

THE MARQUESS OF READING

Certainly I realise both those things. It was because I realised them that I made this statement.