§ 4. Mr. Spenceasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has received from hon. Members asking him to take up with the Soviet Government the plight of Jewish citizens of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics who seek to emigrate in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
§ The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Joseph Godber)Since the 1st January this year, seven requests of this kind have been received.
§ Mr. SpenceI am obliged to my right hon. Friend for that reply. As many of us have constituents who are affected by these rules forbidding Jewish people to emigrate to Israel, will he give us an assurance that he will make the strongest possible representations on every possible occasion so that these people may be able to exercise their human rights?
§ Mr. GodberI have sympathy with my hon. Friend's Question. As to individuals who are Soviet citizens, we have no locus standi. But we have repeatedly made our position clear in deploring the general line about not allowing these citizens to leave. We have done this through my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and other Ministers and most recently we did it at the last session of the 6 Human Rights Commission where we made our attitude abundantly clear.