HC Deb 30 April 1953 vol 514 cc2345-7
46. Mr. Wigg

asked the Prime Minister what consultations the United Nations Command had with Her Majesty's Government about the United Nations Command's offer of dollar rewards for the surrender of MiG jet fighters; and whether he will make a statement.

The Prime Minister

There was no need for any consultations and none took place.

I am advised that it is not contrary to the accepted laws and customs of war to bribe an enemy, provided that hostilities are in progress. For instance, Oppen-heim, one of the best known authorities on international law, in Volume 2, Section 162, says: It was for a time controversial whether a belligerent acts lawfully who bribes a commander of an enemy fortress into surrender, or bribes enemy officers for the purpose of getting information or does other acts of this nature. Such acts are not now considered illegal.

Mr. Wigg

As this change of policy took place at the very moment when the whole world was hoping that a truce would come in Korea, surely such an important change of policy should have brought about automatic consultation with Her Majesty's Government?

The Prime Minister

I would not argue on the political aspect, which, I agree, raises the issue of timeliness. At the same time, I should be prepared to continue a sustained argument on the legality of the procedure, as it does seem to me very much better to bribe a person than to kill a person—and very much better to be bribed than to be killed!

Mr. Shinwell

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, on a matter which he will agree excites a great deal of public interest in this country, whether he would not agree that, where the United Nations is concerned, it would be wise to consult the United Kingdom Government; and whether he thinks that it was appropriate at this time to indulge in this gesture?

The Prime Minister

I am not going to make any complaints to the United States Government on the subject.

Mr. Shinwell

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that he is not being asked to make any complaints to the United States Government? What he is being asked is this. On a matter which, as I have suggested, excites a great deal of public interest and concern in this country, as indeed it does in all countries in the United Nations, would it not be wise for the United Nations—not the United States—to consult a member of the United Nations, namely, the United Kingdom Government?

The Prime Minister

The United States are bearing nineteen-twentieths of the weight of the prolonged war in Korea, which they earnestly desire to see ended, and I do not think that every matter about which the different countries obeying the views of the United Nations and being concerned with the war are affected, should, on any points that the United States authorities might consider necessary, be referred to all these countries.

Mr. Godfrey Nicholson

Will my right hon. Friend appeal to all sections of opinion in this country to forbear from taking every available opportunity to snipe at the United States, which is only doing the work of the Communist forces?

Mr. S. Silverman

Does the right hon. Gentleman's original answer mean that we should take no exception whatever if the Chinese or the Russians offered to bribe R.A.F. pilots to take our most recent jet aircraft over to them, and that we should have no legal or political objections? Or is the position perhaps this—that, whereas it is quite wrong for people to be guilty of treachery in support of a political idea, it becomes quite respectable in the United States if it is done for dollars?

The Prime Minister

Really, I do not think we have much fear of our pilots deserting if they were offered money to take their aeroplanes across. We really have an awful lot of difficulties, but that is not among the most prominent.

Mr. S. Silverman

On a point of order. May I draw your attention, Mr. Speaker, to the fact that the Prime Minister has answered a totally different question to the one which I asked him? What I asked him was not about fear for the patriotism or loyalty of British citizens, but whether we have any objection to people attempting to subvert them?

Mr. Speaker

That is not a point of order.