HC Deb 22 April 1969 vol 782 cc258-9
Sir Alec Douglas-Home

(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any information to give the House about Mr. Gerald Brooke.

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

In an article in Izvestiya on 28th December, 1967, it was hinted that fresh charges might be brought against Mr. Brooke. Since then we have frequently impressed on the Soviet authorities the very serious consequences which any retrial of Mr. Brooke would have for Anglo-Soviet relations. I myself last spoke to the Soviet Ambassador about this on 1st April.

In yesterday's Evening News it was again suggested that fresh charges were to be brought against Mr. Brooke. We made immediate inquiries of the Soviet Embassy about this report but without result. I also instructed Her Majesty's Ambassador in Moscow to pursue the matter with the Soviet Government, and I await his report.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I think that the House will be willing to await the further report from the right hon. Gentleman and will be glad that he has taken the action which he has described.

Mr. James Davidson

Have the Soviet Union offered the slightest shred of evidence that there is a basis for a retrial of Mr. Gerald Brooke?

Mr. Stewart

We have no reason to believe that there is any such basis.

Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

Does not the right hon. Gentleman now think that giving away £500,000 of the money deposited in the Bank of England by the Baltic States to the Russian Government was a thoroughly bad investment?

Mr. Stewart

The hon. Member has taken a different course from that recommended by his right hon. Friend, and it is not a wiser course. The Bill in question was carefully considered by the House. It involved many other considerations than that involved in this question. The House decided to give it a Second Reading. I do not believe that the hon. Member's question is of any use at all to Anglo-Soviet relations or to Mr. Brooke.

Sir C. Osborne

Would it not be better if no further questions were asked on this matter, because questions at present could make a very delicate position a great deal worse?

Mr. Stewart

I agree with the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question.