HC Deb 11 February 1963 vol 671 cc930-1
31. Mr. P. Noel-Baker

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government are now prepared to grant visas to people from East Germany who desire to come to this country for the purpose of taking part in international sporting meetings or competitions.

Mr. Heath

No, Sir.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this grotesque decision by N.A.T.O. to refuse visas to people from East Germany is gravely hampering the international organisations which carry on sport, and that the Olympic International Council has just held a conference to protest against it? Does he not appreciate that this is helping to destroy a movement which is doing more than anything else to break down the cold war?

Mr. Heath

Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will also agree that the grotesque wall put up in Berlin is doing mare than anything else to hinder the lives of the people who live in West Berlin and have relations in East Berlin. The right hon. Gentleman knows that these restrictions were placed by all the N.A.T.O. countries on exit permits for this very reason, to show that we are not prepared to acquiesce in the wall.

Mr. Noel-Baker

is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have visited the wall and made speeches about it quite as strong as his? Is he also aware that this ridiculous restriction is doing very great harm and impeding the sporting intercourse between East and West Germany which was previously so beneficial?

Mr. Heath

I pay tribute to the speeches made by the right hon. Gentleman, and that is why I hoped that he would show an understanding of the situation. The plain fact is that people are allowed out of East Germany only if they serve the purposes of the East German Government, and, therefore, the East German Government are prepared to allow sporting teams to leave only if it suits their own purposes. We are, therefore, perfectly entitled to maintain these restrictions.

Mr. Rankin

If the right hon. Gentleman objects to walls, why should he erect a wall in regard to sport?

Mr. Heath

That was not a very good one. I should have thought that the answer was quite plain. We wanted to show our abhorrence of the wall, and we have shown it in this way, by refusing to grant exit permits to people, including sporting teams.

Mr. Noel-Baker

I give notice that I shall raise this matter on an early occasion in view of the unsatisfactory reply.