HL Deb 12 July 1976 vol 373 cc9-10

2.53 p.m.

Lord SHINWELL

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any information has been received about Mrs. Bloch, one of the hostages hijacked in a French aircraft, who holds a British passport and is so far missing.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, with the leave of the House and that of my noble friend, I shall be repeating at a convenient moment after 3.30 p.m. the Statement on this subject to be made in another place by my honourable friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who deals with African affairs. I shall of course be pleased to answer questions at that time in the normal way.

Lord SHINWELL

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for that reply, but would he be kind enough to answer my Question? Is he aware that since I came to your Lordships' House I cannot recall a single occasion when a Question was deferred because a Statement was to be made subsequently? He refuses to answer the Question, but apart from that, I wanted to ask two supplementary questions. The first is whether, in view of the failure to ascertain the whereabouts of Mrs. Bloch, the Government contemplate any further action, and if so, what? Secondly, is the noble Lord aware that in view of recent events it seems obvious that the holder of a British passport travelling overseas can no longer be guaranteed protection by the British Government and, in those circumstances, what do the Government propose?

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

My Lords, I am sure my noble friend will acquit me of having demanded in any way that he should wait until the Statement was made before I answered his questions. I have taken note of the two questions he has put and I shall certainly be in a better position to answer when I repeat the Government Statement after 3.30 p.m. I think the noble Lord will find, when he looks at my reply, that I couched it in the words, "with the leave of the House", and then I myself inserted the words" and that of my noble friend" —I will answer this Question when I come to repeat the Statement. I hope he will meet my request and conform to, I think, the general usage of the House.