South African Agencies (Activities) (Hansard, 7 July 1976)

§ 5. Mr. Biggs-Davison
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken in view of the evidence supplied by the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose) concerning the activities of South African individuals and agencies in the United Kingdom.

§ Mr. Hattersley
The information made available by my hon. Friend the Member 1348 for Blackley is still being studied by the appropriate authorities.

§ Mr. Biggs-Davison
As it is several months since the dossier was promised, can the Minister say when it was received by the Foreign Office and when we can expect some action on it?

§ Mr. Hattersley
I cannot give a precise date regarding the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question, but I can assure him that the people who take these matters seriously rather than attempt to score political points will expect the Foreign Office or the appropriate institutions of government to examine my hon. Friend's evidence with great care, and that we propose to do.

§ Mr. Ioan Evans
Will my right hon. Friend, as well as looking at the evidence of my hon. Friend the Member for Blackley, look at the more recent evidence of the Lonrho report, not only because of evasion of sanctions to which the report refers but also because of the comments of Mr. "Tiny" Rowland that BOSS was involved in the Lonrho enterprise?

§ Mr. Hattersley
Questions about that report are essentially matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade. If my hon. Friend will allow me, however, I want to emphasise that there is some evidence of the sort of activity to which my hon. Friend drew attention. That is considerable substantiation for my contention that Opposition Members should take these matters seriously, otherwise they are likely to be proved wrong in the near future.

§ Mr. Michael Latham
Is the Foreign Secretary also looking into the alleged evidence that the previous Prime Minister had?

§ Mr. Hattersley
Certainly. Not only that, but I am reinforced in my attitude on this by a statement made by the present Prime Minister a few days ago. The hon. Member will recall, I am sure, because of his assiduous attendance of this House and his concentration on these matters, that my right hon. Friend the present Prime Minister reminded the House that my right hon. Friend the Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson) had on many occasions in the past discovered things that were revealed to other hon. Members 1349 only rather later. Neither the Prime Minister nor I have any doubt that that situation will be repeated.