HC Deb 09 June 1969 vol 784 cc964-6
Mr. Longden

(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is aware that Mr. Philip Golding, a British citizen, has been held incommunicado without charge in a gaol in Johannesburg since 17th May and whether he will make a statement on the representations he has made.

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. William Whitlock)

Yes, Sir. We have made representations to the South African Government about this case and we are hopeful that Consular access will be allowed in the very near future.

Mr. Longden

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that reply and for the co-operation which I have received from his Department during the last few days, but it is not enough that the Consul should be allowed to visit this man. It is essential that a charge, if any, should be made and that people should know why he is being held. This behaviour is common in certain quarters of the globe, but one had hoped that it was not so in the Republic of South Africa.

Hon. Members

Now you know.

Mr. Whitlock

Mr. Golding is held under the Terrorism Act, and presumably the South African authorities have grounds for assuming that Mr. Golding's activities fall within the purview of that Act.

Mr. Dickens

As the South African Government have nothing to learn from the German Gestapo in their treatment of prisoners held in custody without trial, will my hon. Friend note that we on this side of the House want most vigorous representations to be made to Pretoria on this matter?

Mr. Whitlock

The South African Government have been made very well aware of the strong feeling of people in this country about the Terrorism Act and about cases such as this. My hon. Friend can take it from me that very strong representations have been made to the South African Government.

Mr. Lubbock

Will the hon. Gentleman tell the South African Government that, while we can do very little about the application of the loathsome 180-day rule to their own citizens, we will not tolerate its application to people from the United Kingdom and that if they apply it to a British citizen, as they have done in this case, they must bear the consequences?

Mr. Whitlock

As I have said, the strong feelings expressed by people like the hon. Gentleman have been made very well known to the South African Government.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

Are the Press reports correct that Mr. Golding's case has in some way been prejudiced by the absence of a consular convention with the Republic of South Africa? Would he say what the position is about that?

Mr. Whitlock

It is true that, in the normal way, when we have concluded a consular treaty with a country, that country would notify us of the arrest of a British national and consular access would be promptly granted. In this case, despite approaches by Her Majesty's Government, the South African Government have not been ready to enter into negotiations to conclude a consular treaty between the two countries and, therefore, consular access is not readily available in this case.