§ 9. Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date two British diplomats were asked to leave Berne in respect of bribes alleged to have been offered by them on behalf of Her Majesty's Government to officials of a 17 finance company; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. KershawI have nothing to add to the answer given on 20th March to the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State.—[Vol. 833, c.233–4.]
§ Mr. KingHowever pure-minded the object—and we do not doubt that—does not the offer of bribes by British diplomats inevitably give offence to the countries in which they are accredited? Is it worth while for the amount of information received?
§ Mr. KershawMy hon. Friend is mistaken. Bribes were not offered by the embassy staff to anybody. If information of value is offered to us for the detection of criminal offences against United Kingdom law it would be perverse and wrong not to accept it.