HC Deb 14 March 1955 vol 538 cc932-3
22. Mr. Stokes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of recent relaxations of the secrecy ban on wartime happenings,he will now arrange to publish as a White Paper the record of the interview which took place in Scotland in 1941 between Sir Ivone Kirkpatrick and Rudolph Hess.

Mr. Turton

I am not aware of any recent relaxation referred to by the right hon. Gentleman. A detailed account of these conversations was included in the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 22nd September, 1943. I have nothing to add to that statement.

Mr. Stokes

I heard that statement and it was entirely unsatisfactory and "unfull"—[Hon. Members: "Oh."]—well,it was not full. What I want is the detailed account of the interview which took place, which must exist in the Foreign Office records. If the hon. Member will not publish it as a White Paper, will he at least put a copy in the Library?

Mr. Turton

It is not the practice at the moment for this Government to publish historical documents concerning events after the beginning of the war in 1939.

Mr. Stokes

Is the Minister aware that this matter is quite inadequately referred to in the volumes published by the right hon. Member for Woodford (Sir W. Churchill)? It is prostituted in that book. Perhaps he will think back to what I was saying last week. The right hon. Gentleman has done the same sort of thing. What I want is a full account. Why cannot the Foreign Office publish it?

Mr. Turton

I have compared the reply given by my right hon. Friend with the statement in the book, in the published works of the Prime Minister, and they agree.