HC Deb 14 November 1944 vol 404 cc1765-6
1. Professor Savory

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether any reply has yet been received from the Government of Eire to the representations of His Majesty's Government against the harbouring of war criminals.

7. Mr. Alexander Walkden

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, whether assurances have been received from the Government of Eire that in the event of war criminals landing in that country they will promptly hand them over to the Allies.

The Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs (Mr. Emrys-Evans)

The Eire Government have informed us that their attitude is as follows:—They state that, in their view, the right to grant asylum is not in question, and that they can give no assurance which would preclude them from exercising that right should justice, charity or the honour or interest of the nation so require. They also refer to the absence of a comprehensive international code applicable to the matter, and to the lack of a generally recognised court or procedure for the judicial determination of individual cases. They go on to say that, on the other hand, since the present war began, it has been the uniform practice of the Eire Government to deny admission to all aliens whose presence would be at variance with the policy of neutrality, or detrimental to the interests of the Irish people, or inconsistent with the desire of the Irish people to avoid injury to the interests of friendly States, and that when such aliens land they are deported to their countries of origin as soon as possible. They state that it is not intended to alter this practice.

The United Kingdom Government, for their part, wish to make it clear that it would certainly, in the words used by the Eire Government, be "detrimental to the interests of the Irish people," were war criminals to be harboured in Eire.

Professor Savory

Have not all other neutral countries, including Spain and Argentina, given assurances to His Majesty's Government?

Mr. Emrys-Evans

I am afraid I could not answer my hon. Friend without notice.

Commander Locker-Lampson

Is Herr Hitler in Spain at the moment?

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