HC Deb 19 November 1962 vol 667 cc822-6

The following Question stood upon the Order Paper:

70. Mr. A. HENDERSON

To ask the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the handing over of Mr. G. M. Wynne by the Hungarian Government to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Peter Thomas)

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, I will now answer Question No. 70.

Her Majesty's Minister in Budapest was officially informed by the Hungarian Government on 14th November that since the majority of the espionage offences alleged to have been committed by Mr. Wynne were against the Soviet Union, he had been extradited by the Hungarian Government to the competent Soviet authorities in accordance with the relevant provisions of the agreement on legal assistance concluded between the two Governments in 1958.

This means that the Hungarian Government, having detained Mr. Wynne on suspicion of espionage, and having kept him incommunicado for anything up to twelve days, have now handed him over to the Soviet authorities. So far as we know, a prima facie case has not been established against him in a Hungarian court nor has he had any facilities to prepare his defence. In addition, our representatives in Budapest have been prevented from satisfying themselves as to his welfare and from ensuring that he has such facilities for his defence as elementary principles of justice require.

On 15th November, my noble Friend delivered to the Hungarian Minister an aide-memoire in which he protested most strongly against the behaviour of the Hungarian Government in this matter and asked, in the interest of the relations between our two countries, to be informed without delay whether Mr. Wynne was now on Hungarian territory and what steps the Hungarian Government would now take to satisfy Her Majesty's Government as to his welfare and to ensure that he was given adequate facilities, including access to a Consular officer, for the preparation of his defence against whatever charges had been laid against him.

Later on the same day my noble Friend similarly requested the Soviet Ambassador to bring to the notice of the Soviet Government his deep concern in this matter, asking to be informed without delay of the nature of the proceedings instituted against Mr. Wynne by the Soviet authorities, and requesting facilities for him to be visited by a Consular officer and to be given legal aid in his defence.

A reply has not yet been received, and the Soviet Government have not informed us where Mr. Wynne is or what proceedings they are taking against him.

Mr. Henderson

In view of the fact that Mr. Wynne was arrested by the Hungarian Government, will Her Majesty's Government press them to state in which country, whether Russia or Hungary, this alleged espionage took place, and also why the Hungarians handed Mr. Wynne over to the Soviet authorities?

Secondly, will the Government continue to render every possible assistance to Mr. Wynne and press again the Soviet Government, if it is a fact that he is in the Soviet Union, to allow a representative of Her Majesty's Government to see Mr. Wynne?

Mr. Thomas

I can certainly promise that we shall continue to press as strongly as we have done in the past. The right hon. and learned Gentleman asks where these offences were committed. I have no information apart from that which I have given the House. We were told that the majority of the offences which were alleged against Mr. Wynne had been committed in the Soviet Union, but no specific charges have been made against him and, in fact, no allegation has been made specifically by a representative of the Hungarian Government that any offences were committed by Mr. Wynne in Hungary.

As to why he was handed over to the Soviet authorities, I can only say that it was said that he was handed over under the terms of the 1958 agreement between the Soviet and the Hungarian authorities. It was a very wide agreement and it is possible that there is machinery in it for handing people over from one country to another. As far as we are aware, no charge was made against him and he has not had an opportunity to answer any charges in any Hungarian court.

Mr. Mayhew

Is the Minister aware that considerable indignation is felt about this on both sides of the House? Can he recall any precedent, even in the worst period of the cold war, for action of this kind against a British citizen behind the Iron Curtain? Will he tell us whether it is the case that four days have passed without our being informed by either the Hungarian Government or the Soviet Government as to which country Mr. Wynne is in? Do we recognise this extradition agreement between these two Governments? Is this a normal practice? If not, have we stated to the Soviet Government and the Hungarian Government that we do not acknowledge their right to extradite Mr. Wynne in this manner? Is it not the case that Mr. Wynne was warmly welcomed on his visit to the Hungarian Government and to Hungary? Can the Minister possibly explain why this action was taken at a time when it seemed that there were indications of a slightly healthier relationship between this country and the countries beyond the Iron Curtain?

Mr. Thomas

It is true that Mr. Wynne was warmly welcomed into Hungary. He is a businessman and he was the managing director of an organisation dealing with industrial exhibitions which goes into the Iron Curtain countries Relations between Hungary and Britain have certainly improved over the last eighteen months, and a matter like this can have no other quality than to impair the relations which exist between the two countries.

I was asked whether I can recall a precedent. I must confess that I cannot recall a precedent such as this. It is true that four days have passed and that we have received no reply from the Soviet Government or the Hungarian Government. The extradition treaty is published in the United Nations Treaty Series. It is in much more general terms than those to which we are accustomed in extradition treaties. It seems to cover espionage offences, which are not included in our treaties. The matters of which we complain are, first, that a British subject was arrested in Hungary on suspicion of espionage, that he was arrested in a very melodramatic fashion, that no charges have been specified against him, that no one has been allowed to see him, that no court appears to have considered his case, and that he has now been handed over to another country.

Mr. Holt

May I ask the Minister what further action he intends to take if he does not receive a reply to this special request?

Mr. Thomas

I could not answer something which would be hypothetical. We hope that we shall have answers soon from both the Hungarian Government and the Soviet Government. If Mr. Wynne is in Russia, we hope that the charges will be brought against him, if there are charges to be brought, that he will be given an opportunity to prepare his defence, and that representatives of this country will be allowed to see him to assist in the preparation of his defence and to see that his welfare is looked after.

Mr. Marten

Can my hon. Friend confirm to the House quite categorically that Mr. Wynne had no connection whatsoever with British Intelligence?

Mr. Thomas

As far as I know, Mr. Wynne had no connection with British Intelligence.

Mr. Elwyn Jones

Has not what has taken place been a gross abuse of extradition procedure? Is it not important to emphasise to both the Russian and Hungarian Governments that this kind of behaviour really makes reasonable international exchange and relationship almost impossible?

Mr. Thomas

I am very much obliged to the hon. and learned Gentleman. That expresses exactly what we feel about it.