SOUTH AFRICA (MRS. SUE RABKIN) (Hansard, 2 August 1976)

§ Mr. Freud

I beg to ask leave, Mr. Speaker, to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely the incarceration of Mrs. Rabkin, held incommunicado in Cape Town. On Wednesday afternoon of last week Mrs. Sue Rabkin, a British citizen, was arrested in her house in Cape Town. She was six months' pregnant. She already has a two-and-a-half-years-old child. She is a British citizen in that she was born and educated in England. Five years ago she met a South African student at university, whom she married and with whom 1216 she has since been living in Cape Town, although she has retained her British nationality and has never remotely considered taking the nationality of any other country.

Since last Wednesday afternoon, despite her mother's journey from London to Cape Town to try to see her, her mother, the Consul in Cape Town and the British Ambassador in Pretoria have had no information regarding her whereabouts or her well-being. I consider that this situation is sufficiently grave and is one that should be debated in the House without further delay.

§ Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Isle of Ely (Mr. Freud) gave me notice before twelve o'clock that he was to raise this matter. He seeks leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely the incarceration of Mrs. Rabkin, held incommunicado in Cape Town. As the House knows, under Standing Order No. 9 I am directed to take into account the several factors set out in the Order but to give no reason for my decision. I have given careful consideration to the representations which the hon. Gentleman has made, but I have to rule that the hon. Gentleman's submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order, and therefore I cannot submit his application to the House.