§ 9. Mr. Peter Fraserasked the Lord Privy Seal what representations he has made to the Government of Iran over the continuing detention of Miss Jean Waddell and other British subjects without charges against them.
§ Mr. HurdI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to my hon. Friend the Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) on 27 November. On 28 November my right hon. and noble Friend raised this matter with an Iranian Government delegation which was visiting London. It said that the authorities in Iran hoped to have the future of the detainees settled as soon as possible.
§ Mr. FraserI am grateful for the strenuous efforts which have been made on behalf of my constituent and the other British prisoners. Will my hon. Friend confirm that it was made perfectly clear to the Iranian Government that Her Majesty's Government consider the allegations of spying against these prisoners to be wholly without foundation and quite absurd? In the meantime, will he continue to press for direct access to these prisoners and make it clear to the Iranian Government that we will not tolerate indirect access to them and second-hand reports about their well-being and whereabouts?
§ Mr. HurdI agree with everything that my hon. Friend said. We believe that these accusations are ludicrous and unfounded. They are based to so some extent on documents which anyone with any knowledge of the English language would at once see were forged.
On the second point, there has been a little progress in twat Miss Waddell, my hon. Fiend's constituent, has been visited by others. It has also been possible for cur representative in the British interests section in Tehran to get some winter clothing to her. However, we regard as unacceptable the position not only of Miss Waddell but of the Colemans and Mr. Pyke. We have made it clear to the Iranians that they cannot hope to have rational and friendly relations with this country while they continue to treat British subjects in this way.
§ Mrs. DunwoodyWe welcome the Minister's assurance, but will he make it clear that there is absolutely no question of a resumption of normal relations with Iran 254 until Jean Waddell and her colleagues are freed? Will he also insist that access be given in all circumstances as soon as possible?
§ Mr. HurdYes. These are their rights under international law, and we shall continue to insist on them.
§ Mr. SquireDoes my hon. Friend agree that, if possible, the position of Dr. and Mrs. Coleman, the parents of a constituent of mine, is even worse in that the knowledge that we have of them is somewhat less than the scanty knowledge that we have of the other two unfortunate captives and that it becomes a matter of priority that we establish the health and welfare of these people?
§ Mr. HurdMy hon Friend is right. We have been trying to do this directly through the Iranians who were here and through the Swedish embassy which looks after our interests in Tehran and which includes a member of the British diplomatic service. I have been trying to find intermediaries who will take up this cause. We shall continue to press this matter in all these ways.
§ Mr. NewensWill the Minister make it clear that many of us who strongly opposed the Shah's regime for its abuses of human rights equally strongly oppose the manner in which the present Iranian authorities are treating British subjects and other political prisoners? We believe that there should be a change there which breaks completely with the abuses of human rights.
§ Mr. HurdI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for those remarks. It is no use the Iranian Government sending delegations here and expecting to receive sympathy for their case in other matters if they treat our people in this way.
§ Mr. CormackCan my hon. Friend not make something like a Don Pacifico speech? Why does he not tell where wretched Iranians that, unless they release these decent Christian people, we shall send back their students?