HC Deb 03 May 1965 vol 711 cc920-5
Mr. Ennals (by Private Notice)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the safety of British subjects in the Dominican Republic.

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Michael Stewart)

There have been no reports of any casualties among the British community in the Dominican Republic and they are in good heart.

The United States Government have offered their facilities for the evacuation of any British subjects in Santo Domingo who wish to leave in accordance with the advice given by our Chargé d'Affaires. It is not yet known how many have left, but some British evacuees have arrived in Puerto Rico and others are on the way there. Her Majesty's Consul in Puerto Rico will give them any assistance they need.

The British Embassy in Santo Domingo is within the perimeter secured by the United States marines.

Mr. Ennals

I welcome my right hon. Friend's statement about the safety of British subjects. Did the United States Government consult him before troops were sent in? Secondly, what information does he have concerning the allegation that those supporting President Bosche are under Communist control? Would he not agree that there are grave dangers in this sort of intervention without the authority of either the United Nations or the Organisation of American States?

Mr. Speaker

That goes quite wide of any form of Ministerial responsibility. The Answer was confined to the safety of British nationals.

Mr. Michael Foot

When he takes account of the position of British nationals in Santo Domingo, and when he gives instructions to the British representative at the Security Council about making comments on this affair, will my right hon. Friend make it clear that this country is opposed to monstrous aggression undertaken on the pretext that someone has discovered a Communist plot? Does he not think that it is extremely dangerous that this country should be associated with action of this kind?

Mr. Speaker

That supplementary question would be in order only if it arose out of the Answer. I cannot by any ingenuity see how it does.

Mr. Ennals

On a point of order. The question I asked related to the safety of British subjects. The Answer related to the safety of British subjects. The safety of British and other subjects in Santo Domingo was the principal reason given by the United States Government for intervention. With respect, I submit that it was perfectly in order for me to ask a question about a subject for which my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has responsibility.

Mr. Speaker

For the moment I was talking about not the hon. Gentleman's question, but the later question. I cannot accept that the merit or demerit of some argument which may be put forward in the United Nations is something arising out of this Answer.

Mr. Ennals

Further to that point of order. I raised the point of order not in relation to the later question, but in relation to my previous question.

Mr. Speaker

I do not depart from my Ruling. It is not my pastime to be annoying about this matter. As the House knows, I am under some pressure to discourage what are called wide supplementaries. That is why I have to do it.

Mr. Shinwell

Is my right hon. Friend directly, or through our ambassador and staff in Washington, in close consultation with the United States Government in order to ensure adequate protection for any of our nationals in Dominica?

Mr. Stewart

Yes, Sir, and I think that we now have every reason to suppose that no British subjects will be in danger.

Mr. Peter Thomas

May we also take it that Her Majesty's Government support the United Nations—the United States [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]— activity in this matter?

Mr. Michael Foot

On a point of order. If my question was out of order, and I very much doubt whether it was—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—surely the question of the right hon. and learned Member for Conway (Mr. Peter Thomas) was out of order.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member must not express doubts about my virtues. I entertain many of them, but I may not officially allow others to do so. The question of the right hon. and learned Member for Conway (Mr. Peter Thomas) was like the curate's egg. So far as it was a question about United States activities for the safety of British nationals, it was in order, but so far as it was not related to that matter, it was not in order.

Mr. Ennals

In which case, why was not my question in order, because it was precisely in relation to the activities of American troops for the protection of British citizens?

Mr. Speaker

I have now quite forgotten what that question was. I do not want to be unfair to the hon. Gentleman. I will look at it and tell him whether I was wrong, if I was wrong, in public. Let us get on.

Mr. Stewart rose

Mr. Rankin

May I ask my right hon. Friend—

Mr. Speaker

No. There is still the good part of the curate's egg to be answered, if the Secretary of State desires to answer it.

Mr. Stewart

May I assure the House that I am very ready and willing to answer any questions which you deem to be in order, Mr. Speaker? As I understand it, a limited part of that supplementary question was in order so long as it related solely to the United States action referred to in my Answer. The United States offered facilities for the evacuation of British subjects and, action having been taken to that end, in the nature of the case we are grateful for it.

Mr. Philip Noel-Baker

On a point of order. May I respectfully submit for your consideration, Mr. Speaker, that the observance of the obligations of the Charter of the United Nations is a vital British interest, that intervention for the protection of citizens is a matter covered by international law, that obviously in such a case it is necessary to consult the United Nations at the earliest possible date, and that, therefore, questions relating to the consultation with the United Nations are in order?

Mr. Speaker

I am inclined to think that that is an attractive proposition, but it must be confined to the aspect of securing the safety of British nationals in Dominica.

Mr. Rankin

Are we to assume from my right hon. Friend's Answer that British nationals are safe because they are under the protection of the United Nations Army—[HON. MEMBERS: "United States."]—under the protection of the armed personnel of the United States?

Mr. Stewart

The only situation to which, I understand, I can refer within the rules of order is the safety of British subjects. On the information I have, there was a situation in Santo Domingo when the forces which were supposed to be responsible for maintaining law and order there were unable to do so. A great deal of life was lost, although no British subjects have been injured. In those circumstances, all I am concerned with in answering these questions is the action taken by the United States which made it possible for British subjects to be evacuated, and on that I am telling the House that we were glad that help was offered and that British subjects are safe.

I well understand, Mr. Speaker, that other aspects of this matter interest the House, but that they are not matters to which I can now refer within the rules of order.

Mr. Ennals

In view of the Answer given by my right hon. Friend, may I ask whether the United States Government consulted him before taking that action?

Mr. Stewart

As I recollect, we were informed almost simultaneously of the action being taken. I think that my hon. Friend will agree that in a situation like this, where there is no force capable of maintaining order and where there is danger of loss of life, we would want action of this kind to be taken and that, if the situation were in reverse, we ourselves would have taken what action was necessary simply to protect the lives of the citizens of a friendly Power.

Mr. A. Henderson

In view of the inability of the Foreign Secretary to make a full statement today, and the widespread interest in this problem, may I ask him whether he would make a full statement as soon as possible—tomorrow, if necessary?

Mr. Stewart

I shall certainly consult my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House with a view to seeing that the House is kept properly informed about this matter.

Sir J. Eden

In the event of pressure from his own Left wing being successful in persuading the American troops to withdraw, can the right hon. Gentleman give the House the assurance that Her Majesty's Government are ready to move in with armed force, if necessary, to protect the security of British subjects?

Mr. Speaker

The whole basis of that appears to be hypothetical.

Mr. Emrys Hughes

In view of the fact that British subjects' lives were never in danger in Cuba, would the Foreign Secretary consider that the lives of British subjects might be better safeguarded in any part of Latin America if the Government dissociated themselves from American policy?

Mr. Stewart

I really do not think that that bears on the situation here. Whatever one says about the wider aspects of this, there was at the time a very dangerous and disorderly situation in Santo Domingo in which it was right for our chargé d'affaires to make known to British subjects that there was the possibility of evacuation and that those who wanted to be evacuated should have been; and I am glad that that happened.

Sir A. V. Harvey

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the country at large will be grateful for what he has done for the safety of British nationals? Is it not unfortunate that some of his hon. Friends should belittle and begrudge the way that it has been brought about?

Mr. Stewart

If it is in order for me to answer that, I should have thought that everyone would be grateful that British subjects are safe and grateful for the action taken by the United States to that end. But I am not prepared to accept the offensive remarks made by the hon. Member about Members of the House who are anxious about other aspects of this situation.

Mr. P. Noel-Baker

In view of the declarations made by President Johnson today, which relate not only to the safety of American people and of people of other nationalities but to far wider objectives, will the Foreign Secretary deal with those wider objectives in his statement tomorrow?

Mr. Stewart

My right hon. Friend will remember that I did not commit myself definitely to making a statement tomorrow. I said that I would consult my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House with a view to seeing that the House was properly informed. As hon. Members know, there are a number of aspects of this matter. The Organisation of American States, for example, has interested itself in the matter. The point at which it would be useful to inform the House further has still to be decided. But when it is suitable to do that, I shall try to inform the House as fully as possible.