§ The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Michael Stewart)With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, I wish to make a statement.
The House will have noted with concern the Press reports of the kidnapping of Mr. Brian Lea, a First Secretary in the British High Commission in Kampala.
Mr. Lea received a request on Saturday afternoon to deal with urgently needed travel documents and drove himself to the High Commissioner's Office to attend to the matter. He did not return home and at about 7 p.m. the High Commissioner, and Mrs. Lea, both received telephone calls in which the caller, who did not identify himself, simply stated that Mr. Lea had been kidnapped and rang off.
The Uganda authorities were notified at once and immediately ordered the Uganda police to take every possible step to locate and free Mr. Lea.
As soon as the report was received in London, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister got into touch with President Obote and, with the agreement of President Obote, we sent to Kampala yesterday a security expert from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to establish continuous liaison between the High Commissioner and the Uganda authorities concerned with the investigations.
I am, of course, in constant touch with the High Commission in Uganda. We do not know who the kidnappers are, nor what they hope to achieve by this senseless crime.
The House will, I know, wish me to convey its sympathy to Mrs. Lea and to their two daughters in their anxiety.
§ Mr. MaudlingThis, clearly, is a very serious matter. Obviously, comment today would be superfluous, but may we on this side of the House be associated with the right hon. Gentleman's expression of sympathy to Mrs. Lea and her family?
May we also ask for an assurance that the Government will give every possible aid to Uganda to clear up the crime, 34 and that the Foreign Secretary will keep the House fully informed?
§ Mr. Stewart: Certainly, Sir.
§ Sir G. de FreitasWill my right hon. Friend remember that in a situation like this the morale of staff in these difficult missions overseas is considerably raised if it is seen that Parliament itself is interested? In those circumstances, will he please make statements here in Parliament, even if a lot of the information in future has been published in the Press?
§ Mr. StewartYes, Sir, I shall be very glad to bear in mind what my right hon. Friend has said.
§ Mr. SandysWhile sharing the universal hope that Mr. Lea will return unharmed, may I ask the Foreign Secretary whether he agrees as a general proposition that the best way to protect our diplomats against this kind of danger is to make it absolutely clear that the British Government never yield to blackmail and that, therefore, kidnapping serves no purpose?
§ Mr. StewartI would agree with that as a general proposition, but I think that the right hon. Gentleman and the House will realise that there is a full responsibility on the Government of Uganda here, a responsibility which they fully and entirely accept.
§ Mr. ThorpeIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that we on these benches wish to be associated in the expression of sympathy which has been extended to Mrs. Lea and that we share his confidence that the Uganda Government will be equally concerned in this matter?
May I also ask whether, while we hope that this is an isolated event, the right hon. Gentleman is satisfied that there are adequate security arrangements for other members of our mission?
§ Mr. StewartFor other members of our mission in Uganda?
§ Mr. Thorpe: Yes.
§ Mr. StewartYes, Sir. I may add that all our diplomatic posts abroad are alive to this danger and have been sent advice on appropriate measures.
§ Mr. Arthur LewisWill my right hon. Friend take the first opportunity of conveying on behalf of the whole House our deep appreciation of the very expeditious manner in which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave this matter his urgent attention?
§ Mr. Stewart: Yes, Sir.
§ Mr. FauldsWill my right hon. Friend accept that all of us on the back benches will back whatever action he feels can be taken, and whatever action the Uganda Government are taking, to protect gentlemen in this exposed position and how strongly we condemn this senseless and stupid sort of practice?
§ Mr. StewartYes, Sir. I am sure that that is the view of the whole House.