§ Mr. BONAR LAWMay I ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has anything further to communicate with regard to the case of Mr. Benton?
§ Sir EDWARD GREYThe latest telegram I have received this morning from the British Ambassador at Washington is:—
The United States Secretary of State has told me that he proposes that the senior army surgeon at EI Paso with a responsible American, and His Majesty's Consul with a British subject representing Benton's family, will cross the frontier and make a careful examination of the body. The surgeon will make his report through the American General. He will urge that the body be surrendered to Mrs. Benton.Of course, if that is carried out, as Mr. Bryan proposes, our Consul will report to us what he has been able to ascertain. I would only say further, that we are satisfied that the Government of the United States is showing as much interest in this case and is doing as much to discover the facts as it would do if Mr. Benton had been an American citizen. We cannot our- 1959 selves do more at the moment than send our Consul to be present at whatever investigations are made. I hope to be able to give more information to the House when it meets next week as to the facts, and in any case to make a considered statement of the view taken by His Majesty's Government of what can be done further, either to get at the truth, if it is then in doubt, or to secure what justice may demand. It is hardly necessary for me to emphasise what everybody knows, the deep feeling that exists in the House and in the country in this matter and which His Majesty's Government fully share, and which, I hope it is recognised, is none the less deep because the expression of it has been very restrained.