HC Deb 23 March 1933 vol 276 cc500-1
72. Colonel WEDGWOOD

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Mr. Nambiar has yet been visited in prison; whether he is being well treated; and what is the nature of the charge laid against him?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Eden)

According to my information, Mr. Nambiar has been visited regularly in gaol by a German friend who has informed His Majesty's Embassy at Berlin that he appeared to be in quite good health. As the right hon. Gentleman was informed in reply to his question on the 16th March, a large quantity of Communist subversive propagandist literature was found among Mr. Nambiar's papers, and, until these have been thoroughly examined, it is, according to the competent German authorities, impossible to state what charge, if any, will be preferred against Mr. Nambiar. Meanwhile, His Majesty's Embassy and His Majesty's Consulate at Berlin will continue to keep us informed.

Colonel WEDGWOOD

Does the hon. Member really consider that the charge levelled against a presumed Communist by the German Government has any more foundation than the charge levelled against English engineers by the Ogpu in Russia?