HC Deb 04 April 1951 vol 486 c177
6. Major Tufton Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action His Majesty's Government are taking to ensure that any peace treaty with Germany shall enforce some form of compensation to non-Jewish and non-German people who suffered under the Nazis.

Mr. H. Morrison

His Majesty's Government are unable to give any undertaking regarding the possible provisions of an eventual peace treaty with Germany.

Major Beamish

Surely the right hon. Gentleman can give me some more sympathetic reply than that. Is he aware that non-Jewish and non-German people who suffered under the Nazis went through a most appalling time and had no one to speak on their behalf? I had hoped that the right hon. Gentleman would have been more sympathetic.

Mr. Morrison

I cannot be at this stage. It is not a question of being sympathetic or unsympathetic. This is the situation—

Hon. Members

What is the situation?

Mr. Morrison

What I have said—that we are unable to give any undertaking regarding the possible provisions of an eventual peace treaty with Germany.

Mr. Eden

Could not the right hon. Gentleman, at least, undertake that this aspect of the matter, which is very serious to many people, will be in the minds of our negotiators when they come to discuss the matter?

Mr. Morrison

Certainly. That is another matter, but we will keep all relevant considerations in mind.