HC Deb 04 March 1957 vol 566 cc31-2
74. Mr. Janner

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that, acting in contravention of the United Nations Conventions and the Declaration of Human Rights, the Egyptian Government have promoted attacks on British residents in Egypt because of their Jewish race; that numbers of them had been arrested, deprived of their property and means of livelihood; and whether he will ask for a full statement on the situation by the United Nations and for steps to be taken by the United Nations to deal with this.

Mr. Ian Harvey

Her Majesty's Government are fully aware that British residents in Egypt of Jewish race have been arrested, have seen their property sequestrated and their means of livelihood vanish, and have been expelled apparently because of their race or nationality or both. Her Majesty's Government deplore this barbaric behaviour. Such actions are certainly in defiance of the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United Kingdom representative at the United Nations brought to the attention of the General Assembly last December the hardships inflicted on British subjects in Egypt of whatever faith. Moreover, the disabilities imposed on Jewish residents on racial grounds were also raised in the debate. Her Majesty's Government will consider the question of raising again the matter of hardships inflicted on British subjects in the light of the circumstances.

Mr. Janner

I thank the hon. Member for his reply. Will Her Majesty's Government representative deal with this problem on a wider scale and, in consequence of the fact that amongst the many thousands of Jews expelled there are people who are Stateless and of all nationalities, and also that this is a recrudescence of the vicious Nazi methods, see that the matter is taken up further upon a general basis?

Mr. Harvey

We will certainly look at the matter in the light of that question.

Mr. Bevan

Will it be possible for the Minister to prepare a paper for the House, giving such information as he has about these cases, so that we can assess their significance?

Mr. Harvey

I will certainly draw to the attention of my right hon. Friend the question that has been asked and see what we can do.

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