§ 10 Mr. Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether he has considered the letter from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, enclosing the communication from Colonel Dr. J. M. Somer, former Commanding Officer of the Dutch Bureau Inlichtingen, containing evidence of continuing neglect on the part of British Secret Service agents during the war; and whether he will make a statement in answer to the points contained in the colonel's letter;
(2) why 3,000 Sten guns, 300 Bren guns, 2,000 hand grenades, 75 radio transmitters and secret radar equipment was parachuted into German hands in Holland during the last war by British Secret Service agents, after the Service had been informed of this danger.
(3) why, and on what basis the British Secret Service made the necessary arrangements for van der Waals, a German Secret Service agent employed 11 by the Gestapo, to be introduced to Mr. Vorrink, the leader of the Dutch Underground Movement, as an allied friend and British agent; and if he will explain the procedure that was adopted to inform Mr. Vorrink that van der Waals was a tried and trusted friend of Great Britain.
§ The Minister of State (Mr. Selwyn Lloyd)As the hon. Member has been repeatedly informed, these matters were the subject of full investigation both during and after the war. As he was also told on 18th February, it is contrary to the public interest and established practice to publish details of the affairs of secret organisations.
The Foreign Office statement of the 14th December, 1949, annexed to the Netherlands Parliamentary Commission's report, admitted that mistakes were made. It made it clear, however, that the inquiries had not revealed the slightest grounds for believing that there was treachery either on the British or on the Netherlands side. That statement was endorsed by the Netherlands Parliamentary Commission. The letter from Colonel Somer, though dated 10th February, was not received in my Department till 26th February and there has not been time for detailed examination of its contents. It does not appear, however, to contain anything new or which would justify further discussion with Dr. Somer.