§ 10. Mr. COCKSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any reply has been received to the representations made by the British Ambassador at Berlin on 21st and 26th April regarding the case of Mr. Geoffrey Fraser, a British subject, who has been imprisoned in Berlin without trial since 4th April: whether any decision has been reached by the German authorities as to the charge to be preferred against Mr. Fraser or the tribunal before which the charge will be heard; what is the present state of Mr. Fraser's health; and whether, considering the length of the period that has elapsed since Mr. Fraser's arrest, His Majesty's Government will make representations to the German Government that this British subject should either be brought immediately to trial or released?
§ Sir J. SIMONHis Majesty's Ambas sador in Berlin has received a note from the German Minister for Foreign Affairs, dated 28th April, from which it appears that the competent German authorities, as a result of their investigations, have decided that Mr. Fraser is slot guilty, as was at first suspected, of having committed acts preparatory to high treason: but that he was still, on that date, under suspicion of having made or spread some false or exaggerated reports liable to cause serious damage to the well-being or to the reputation of the Reich or a German State, or of the parties and organisations which support these Governments. The German Minister for Foreign Affairs added that the date of the trial, which would take place before the "special court" in the first Landgericht in Berlin, had not yet been fixed. On 5th of May His Majesty's Ambassador addressed a further urgent note to the German Minister for Foreign Affairs drawing his serious attention to the fact that Mr. Fraser had then been in prison for more than a month, and requesting that he should either be brought immediately to trial or be released. The German lawyer who, at Mr. Fraser's request, has undertaken his defence has informed His Majesty's Consul in Berlin that he has visited Mr. Fraser several times and has found him in good health.
§ Mr. COCKSDoes the Foreign Secretary realise that this British subject has been in prison five weeks, and that he is now charged with something which is 1524 not really an offence at all—spreading false and exaggerated reports—and is it a fact that British subjects in Berlin are not to have justice accorded to them, whereas in Moscow the Foreign Secretary acts with great energy?
§ Sir J. SIMONI hope that our Ambassadors abroad act with suitable energy in all cases.
§ Mr. COCKSIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment at the earliest possible date, when I shall have some very strong things to say.