§ 4. Mr. H. Morrisonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what application he has received from Mr. Guy Burgess for the renewal of his passport; and what decision he has taken in the matter.
§ The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. D. Ormsby-Gore)Burgess sent a message to our delegation in Moscow saying that he wished to visit the United Kingdom but feared that the British authorities would seize his passport and prevent him from returning to the Soviet Union: he therefore asked the Prime Minister for an undertaking that he would be free to return to Moscow. No reply was sent to this message as Her Majesty's Government have, of course, no power to give Burgess the undertaking for which he asked, nor are they prepared to give him any travel facilities.
§ Mr. MorrisonIs the right hon. Member aware that that reply will be received with satisfaction? Would he agree that the only reason for allowing Mr. Burgess here would be if there were enough evidence to warrant his prosecution in this country? May I express the hope that this person, who deserted from his post in this country, will otherwise be allowed to stay where he is?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI accept what the right hon. Gentleman has said.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs there any indication that the Russians are anxious to get rid of Mr. Burgess?
§ Mr. YoungerMay I ask the Minister a question on his final phrase about travel facilities? Does it imply that, irrespective of whether a criminal charge might lie against Mr. Burgess, about which I know nothing, the Government have already taken the decision that no passport would be issued to him? Would not that be rather exceptional procedure? Is it not the case that in peacetime travel passports are normally available to almost anybody, except for some very special reasons, such as conviction for treason?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreThe right hon. Gentleman is right. That is the normal procedure, but passports have been withheld in certain cases, among them Sir Oswald Mosley and Dr. Alan Nunn May. There are exceptions.