HC Deb 22 October 1952 vol 505 cc997-9
50. Mr. Dalton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps have been taken to ensure that no captured German war documents, or copies thereof, relating to submarine or air warfare against this country, now in the possession of Her Majesty's Government, have been, or will be, handed over to the West German Federal Government.

Mr. Nutting

No such documents have been returned by Her Majestys' Government to the German Federal Government. Before any documents are returned to the German Federal Government Her Majesty's Government will satisfy themselves that no documents affecting the security of this country are included amongst those to be returned.

Mr. Dalton

Is it the case that the Federal German Government have asked for the return of a number of documents, including the complete German wartime plan for bringing this country to her knees by air and submarine warfare, and including also many other German intelligence reports? If they have asked for these, has not a flat denial already been given?

Mr. Nutting

This question, is being discussed with the Federal German Government at the moment.

Mr. Dalton

Do I understand that it is still possible that the Government may decide to return to the German Government these documents? Quite apart from the undesirability of returning them to Bonn, does he not agree that if they do go there they might not stay there but go further East?

Mr. Nutting

I would refer to the reply I have already given. We shall satisfy ourselves that no documents affecting the security of this country will be returned to the Federal German Government.

Mr. C. I. Orr-Ewing

Would my hon. Friend confirm that copies of these documents, under a long standing wartime agreement, have been supplied to the Russian Government, who may have supplied them to the East German Government, and they may have been supplied back to the West German Government through those channels?

Mr. Nutting

That is a very much wider question.

Mr. J. Hynd

In view of the assurance he has given, can the hon. Gentleman add a further assurance, that we shall have the initiative as to whether such documents will be handed back or not, as some documents may be handed back by another Government having control of another part of Germany? Can we stop such documents being handed back, even if they are not in our own possession?

Mr. Nutting

We shall act with the United States and the French Governments in this matter, No documents as far as I am aware have been handed back by either of these two Governments.