§ 23. Mr. Marloweasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that British civilians convicted by Control Commission courts in Germany have no right of appeal to any court in Great Britain; and whether he will introduce legislation to remedy this situation.
§ Mr. BevinThe answer to the first part of the Question is, "Yes, Sir." It is not proposed to introduce legislation as it is considered that the Control Commission Court of Appeal gives an adequate safeguard to any British civilian sentenced in a lower court. There is a further appeal by way of clemency to the Commander-in-Chief.
§ Mr. MarloweIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that British subjects dealt with by courts in any other parts of the world, including the Dominions and Colonies, have a right of appeal to the Privy Council in this country, and does he not think that some similar machinery should be set up in regard to courts in Germany?
§ Mr. BevinGermany is not a Dominion or a Colony, and I cannot introduce that principle as a result of occupation of another country. When the unconditional surrender terms were introduced, we undertook to introduce what was virtually a government of Germany through the Control Commission, and I must operate on that basis.