HC Deb 27 April 1953 vol 514 cc1745-7
28. Mr. A. J. Irvine

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what information he has as to the numbers of British sick and wounded prisoners in North Korea who have not been freed in the recent release of sick and wounded prisoners.

29. Mr. Donnelly

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to make a statement regarding the exchange of sick and wounded prisoners of war in Korea.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

So far the exchange of sick and wounded has proceeded smoothly. Thirty-two British prisoners of war have been returned. We do not know whether there are other British sick and wounded still held prisoner, and, if so, how many. I shall not be able to give the House further information until we have completed our inquiries.

Mr. Irvine

As the prisoners already released are, presumably, the best available source of information as to any wounded prisoners that may have been left behind, can we have an assurance that every step is being taken to collect and study the information they can give?

Mr. Lloyd

I quite agree, and that is the reason for the last sentence of my reply. I can certainly assure the House that we shall prosecute those inquiries as diligently as possible.

Mr. Donnelly

In view of the atrocity stories which are being circulated on both sides, would the right hon. and learned Gentleman not agree that it is very important at this moment for as little as possible to be said, and for nothing to be said which will exacerbate the situation in the general sense when truce talks are taking place?

Mr. Lloyd

I quite agree that our purpose at the present time is to get as many of our sick and wounded prisoners back as we can. In the circumstances, I do not disagree with the hon. Gentleman's contention, that the least said the better.

Captain Duncan

Would we be wrong to assume that because no officers have been repatriated so far there are no officers who are either sick or wounded?

Mr. Lloyd

That, again, is a matter about which I should like to have inquiries made of those who have come back before I can give an answer.

Mr. Bellenger

Is the House to understand from the right hon. and learned Gentleman's reply to the supplementary question of my hon. Friend the Member for Pembroke (Mr. Donnelly) that he would, therefore, deprecate the continuance of the articles in the "Sunday Observer" by Mr. Deane, their correspondent, whose articles, to say the least, are very revealing?

Mr. Lloyd

I think that that would draw me into an area of controversy from which I had much better stay away.