HC Deb 04 February 1953 vol 510 cc1835-7
31. Mr. Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will publish the information submitted to the representatives of the Netherlands Parliamentary Commission at The Hague held in 1948–50, on the occasion of their visit to London to question the British officials concerned in the allegations against the British Secret Service.

Mr. Nutting

A summary of the information given to the Commission was published in the Commission's report in 1950.

Mr. Lewis

Is the Minister aware of the fact that the Foreign Office issued a statement to the effect that they could not hold an inquiry at the time because the officers and men concerned were not available—and that is appreciated and understood—and that subsequently, when an inquiry was asked for, the Foreign Office said that they had destroyed all the documents and papers which would verify the Netherlands Government's claim that there had been serious neglect on the part of the British Secret Service? Does the Joint Under-Secretary not think that this matter warrants a further and proper inquiry?

Mr. Nutting

The hon. Member has already been told in answer to other Questions, that this matter was at no stage and at no time a responsibility of the Foreign Office. The Minister responsible for the Special Operations Executive during the war was the Minister of Economic Warfare.

Mr. Lewis

It was the Foreign Office that wound up this organisation, destroyed very important secret documents, and now the German officer in charge of the German counter-espionage service has evidence to prove that there was near treachery on the part of this particular officer. Does he not think that this needs thorough investigation?

Mr. Nutting

The hon. Member was told, in answer to a Question last week, that there was no treachery whatever on the part of Mr. Lauwers, who was the unfortunate person responsible for this incident.

32. Mr. Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state the reasons for the arrest in 1944 of Mr. P. Dourlein and Mr. J. B. Ubbink, two British agents employed by the joint British-Netherlands section of the Special Operations Executive, after their escape from a German prison and return to England; how long and for what reasons these men were kept under arrest; what charges were made against them when their trial took place; and what was the result.

Mr. Nutting

I understand that Mr. P. Dourlein and Mr. J. B. Ubbink were detained for security reasons under the Aliens Order from 27th May till 20th June, 1944. No charge was made against them and the last part of the Question, therefore, does not arise.

Mr. Lewis

Is the Minister aware that these two men were agents in this very Department who had nearly been condemned to death because of neglect on the part of the British Secret Service, and that when they came back to protest and produce their evidence they were not allowed to submit it they were put under arrest with no charges as the Minister now says, and kept under arrest? Is it not about time that investigations were made into the allegations that have been made and these men given an opportunity of coming forward? Is the Joint Under-Secretary further aware that these two men have been awarded the equivalent of the British V.C. by the Netherlands Government, on whose behalf they worked? Will the hon. Gentleman not look further into this matter and see what really has been going on behind the scenes?

Mr. Nutting

The detention of these men was ordered as part of the exceptional security precautions which I understand were necessary and were taken during the period of the invasion of Europe. The fact that they were detained was no reflection upon them but merely a security precaution designed to ensure that the story of their escape was a genuine one.