§ 16. Mr. Ernest Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the action he has taken in regard to the recent forced deportations in Hungary which are in contravention of the Human Rights Clauses of the Hungarian Peace Treaty.
§ Mr. NuttingBetween 21st May and 20th July, 1951, at least 24,000 people were deported from Budapest. No further deportations seem to have taken place until June of this year, when several hundred families were moved from towns in North-Eastern and Western Hungary. Deportations from towns in various parts still continue.
Information concerning these deportations is being included in the evidence of breaches of the Human Rights Clauses of the Hungarian Peace Treaty which Her Majesty's Government will be submitting shortly to the United Nations in accordance with the General Assembly's Resolution of November, 1950.
§ Mr. DaviesWhile appreciating that this matter is being brought before the United Nations, may I ask the Minister whether in the meantime we are consulting with the other signatories and are making separate representations to the Hungarian Government to show how public opinion feels in this matter?
§ Mr. NuttingI think the best way of approaching this problem is first to submit the evidence to the United Nations in accordance with the request made by us in the Assembly in November, 1950. The next step will rest with the United Nations, but Her Majesty's Government have every intention of seeing that the fullest publicity is given, and, if possible, that every step is taken to mitigate these horrible actions.
§ Mr. StokesCan the Minister state in general to where these deportations are taking place?
§ Mr. NuttingThey are being moved, in the main, from strategic areas to other areas—
§ Mr. StokesIn Hungary?
§ Mr. NuttingYes—where these populations will not interfere with the strategic plans of the Soviet Union.
§ Major BeamishWill my hon. Friend consider the possibility of issuing a White Paper or something in the near future describing the numerous violations by the Hungarians, the Bulgarians and the Yugoslavs of the Peace Treaty so that the British public may be kept informed?
§ Mr. NuttingI will consider issuing a White Paper when this evidence about all the breaches concerning the Human Rights Clauses of the Peace Treaty has been assembled and submitted to the United Nations.