§ 78. Mr. Ridleyasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that Austrian families resident in this country since the German annexation of Austria are receiving telephone calls from the Gestapo in Germany and Austria threatening them that, unless they return part of their money to those countries, their relatives now resident there will be punished; and whether he will make urgent representations to prevent this form of pressure?
§ Mr. ButlerNo, Sir, but my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will be glad to look into the matter, if the hon. Member can supply him with detailed information on the subject.
§ Mr. RidleyHaving regard to the agonizing experiences of these people even in the most favourable circumstances, will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to find out how widespread the practice is and then make representations?
§ Mr. ButlerI will certainly do my best, but I hope the hon. Member will give me any information that he has.
§ Mr. WatkinsDoes the right hon. Gentleman not realise that private Members of Parliament are under very grave disadvantages in this matter, and cannot the Foreign Office make investigations and get actual facts on which they can take action?
§ Mr. ButlerI am sure my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is keeping in close touch with the situation and watching it carefully.
§ Mr. ThorneIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that in many cases the questions that we put down are based on information received from various newspapers, and can he say whether the Foreign Office receives cuttings from the various papers about these international matters?
§ Mr. ButlerWe receive cuttings from every newspaper.
§ Mr. ThorneHow is it then that sometimes you give the information that you have no information?