HC Deb 11 July 1949 vol 467 cc31-3
62. Mr. Gammans

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the disappearance of Miss May Peters from the British Embassy in Moscow.

Mr. Mayhew

Miss May Peters was employed as a telephonist at His Majesty's Embassy in Moscow. She had for some years past been seeking the permission of the Soviet authorities to leave the Soviet Union and come to this country. She is regarded by His Majesty's Government as a British subject, but the Soviet authorities claim that she is also a Soviet citizen by reason of the fact that her mother adopted Soviet nationality in 1929. On the evening of 17th January, 1949, while returning to her flat after leaving the Embassy, Miss Peters disappeared and has not been heard of since. Her case, along with others, formed the subject of an aide-mémoire addressed to the Soviet Government on 27th April and complaining that the Soviet authorities, by intimidation and otherwise, were seeking to dictate the composition of His Majesty's Embassy and interfering with its work. The attitude of His Majesty's Government has thus been made clear to the Soviet Government. My right hon. Friend regrets that there is, in his view, no further action which His Majesty's Government can take on Miss Peters' behalf at present.

Mr. Gammans

Does the latter part of the hon. Gentleman's answer mean that Miss Peters' relations in this country have very little hope of ever seeing her again, and that employees of the British Embassy who are regarded as British subjects can be taken away and disappear, and nothing happen?

Mr. Mayhew

I can only say that we regard the Soviet reply to our aidemémoire as entirely unsatisfactory, and that the Soviet Government cannot expect to be able to persecute the staff of His Majesty's Embassy in Moscow while, at the same time, enjoying the most favourable treatment as regards their own staff over here.

Mr. Stanley

Does that answer mean, in view of this the latest, and, I think, the worst example we have had, that the Government are now going to do something?

Mr. Mayhew

I do not want to commit my right hon. Friend at present on that specific point, but I think his attitude has been made clear by what I have just said.

Mr. Paget

Can my right hon. Friend say how we can continue to have diplomatic relations with a country which kidnaps our representatives?

Earl Winterton

Is the Under-Secretary aware that exactly the same answer as he has now given to my hon. Friend was given to me by the Foreign Secretary when I raised the question of the Russian wives a year ago? The right hon. Gentleman then said he was considering what action, if any, he could take with regard to the Russian Embassy here. Why does he not show what I would call "guts" in the matter?

Mr. Emrys Roberts

Can the hon. Gentleman tell us whether there is any possibility of bringing a deplorable act of this character before the United Nations? May I have an answer to that question?

Mr. Benn Levy

Would not my hon. Friend's task be eased if a concrete suggestion were made by the Opposition as to what precisely they mean by "doing something"?

Mr. Keeling

Will the hon. Gentleman say why there are so many weeks' delay in communicating with the Russian Government?

Mr. Mayhew

I should need notice of that.

Mr. Thurtle

Has my hon. Friend considered the question of retaliatory action?

Mr. Mayhew

I think my reply has made quite clear the attitude of my right hon. Friend on that subject. We shall certainly have to consider retaliatory action if we are pushed to it by the continuance of incidents like this.

Mr. Mott-Radclyffe

Could the hon. Gentleman say whether Miss Peters had in her possession a British passport or Soviet papers?

Mr. Mayhew

I understand that she had a British passport in her possession. The Soviet Government, however, claimed to regard her as a Soviet national.

Mr. Mott-Radclyffe

Would it not be better if the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs altered the wording on the British passport, entitling the possessor to some protection?