§ 29. Mr. David Watkinsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made concerning the delays in the trial, in Delhi, of Mr. Walter Nash of Burnopfield, County Durham, on a charge of currency smuggling.
§ Mr. WhitlockOur High Commissioner in New Delhi has made frequent representations about the continued delays in this case. We have given, and will continue to give, Mr. Nash all possible assistance. He was sentenced on 7th March but has appealed. The result of the appeal is not yet known.
§ Mr. WatkinsI thank my hon. Friend and all the officers of his Department for the tremendous efforts they have made in this protracted case. What will be Mr. Nash's position with regard to returning home when he completes the prison sentence he is serving?
§ Mr. WhitlockI am grateful to my hon. Friend for those remarks. Great efforts are made by our consular people to assist Britons in trouble all over the world, and all too often the work they do is little known. Mr. Nash was sentenced on three charges to what amounts to three months' imprisonment, and the magistrate took into consideration the period Mr. Nash had spent in detention. If his appeal is unsuccessful, he should be released at about the beginning of June, but we do not yet know when the appeal is to be heard.