§ 11. Mr. KEIR HARDIEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the statements of Mrs. Tripet, a Swiss subject, who was arrested at Alexandria on 7th May in connection with the Adamovitz affair, in which she complains of being shut up all night in a room with three or four men, who slept on long tables; whether such treatment is the result of the Capitulations or is the custom under Egyptian law; whether, if the latter, he will cause representations to be made to the Egyptian Government to have the attention of the Ministry of the Interior called to the matter; and whether, if the former, he will take steps to invite the Powers concerned in the Capitulations to have the decencies of life observed in their treatment of women whilst under arrest in Egypt?
§ Mr. ACLAND:I have no information on the subject. If any complaints are made it is through the Swiss Government, if a Swiss subject is involved, that they should be received.
§ Mr. MORRELL:May I ask whether a Capitulatory Power has any right to make an arrest of a foreign subject as was done in this case, and whether the expense is charged to the Egyptian Government?
§ Mr. ACLANDCopies of the Capitulations have been placed in the Library, and I think the facts have been fairly fully stated. Under the Capitulations a Power can cause the Egyptian police to arrest subjects of that Power—and they are then subject to the laws of that country.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEWill the Foreign Office see to it that the police in Egypt are made to conform to the laws of decency?
§ Mr. ACLANDWe do not control the police in Egypt. Egypt is not a part of the British Dominions in which we can interfere in that matter.
§ Mr. MORRELLMay I ask if the Egyptian Government made any inquiry as to the charge against Mrs. Tripet?
§ Mr. ACLANDNo, Sir; they have no power to do that under the Capitulations.
§ Mr. MORRELLHas my hon. Friend read the Capitulations.
§ Mr. ACLANDCertainly.