§ 1. Mr. Eric Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can now state what steps he is proposing to take with regard to the applications for the extradition of Dr. Wladislaw Dering as an alleged war criminal.
§ 2. Mr. Platts-Millsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Dr. Wladislaw Dering was listed as a war criminal on three occasions by the United Nations War Crimes Commission; that charges against him have been preferred by the Governments of Czechoslovakia, France and Poland; and His Majesty's Government are satisfied that a prima facie case has been established against Dr. Dering that, as an assistant Medical Officer in charge of the Oswiecim concentration camp, he was responsible for the segregation and collection of Allied personnel for destruction in the gas chambers, and that in addition he participated in experiments on living human beings; and whether, in view of all these facts, he will, without further delay, arrange for the deportation of this person so that he can stand his trial as a war criminal.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Ede)It has been found requisite to make some further inquiries which will take a little time to complete.
§ Mr. FletcherIn view of the very serious charges that have been made against Dr. Dering, including charges of having performed sterilisation and other experimental operations on a large scale, and in view of the fact that he has already been detained without trial in this country for a very long time, is it not eminently desirable that this matter should be judicially investigated without further delay?
§ Mr. EdeThat judicial investigation, as far as it concerns the establishment of a prima facie case, is going on.
§ Mr. Platts-MillsIn view of the fact that the Foreign Secretary informed the Polish Government on 27th April of this year that we were satisfied that a prima facie case was made out and that the man would be deported forthwith, can the Home Secretary say what are the reasons for a further investigation being required?