HC Deb 05 March 1986 vol 93 cc305-6
9. Mr. David Sumberg

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom delegation to the conference on security and co-operation in Europe meeting in Berne in April will raise the issue of the freedom of individuals to practise their chosen profession without being subjected to religious or racial discrimination.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Tim Renton)

Although strictly speaking this issue is outside the mandate for the meeting, we are opposed to discrimination on the grounds of religion and race and will continue to raise this issue on all suitable occasions.

Mr. Sumberg

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his reply and also for the constant pressure that he and his colleagues in the Foreign Office have put on the Soviet Union, which has indirectly contributed to the release of Mr. Shcharansky. Will he make it clear to Mr. Gorbachev on as many occasions as possible that until the Soviet Union can be seen to be observing its own constitution on non-discrimination, it will be difficult for the West to believe that it will honour the agreements that it must enter into for real détente to come about?

Mr. Renton

I thank my hon. Friend for what he has just said. Unfortunately, in the case of Mr. Shchransky, one swallow does not make a summer, and there is as yet very little sign that in its treatment of human rights the new Soviet leadership will be very different from the previous one. But we shall certainly continue to raise this issue on every possible occasion, and the Berne meeting gives us another opportunity to do so.

Mr. James Lamond

If the Minister believes that our record is clean on this matter, will he raise with the West German Government the long-standing question of the berufsverbot— the law under which civil servants are prevented from holding professional positions because of what are usually Left-wing views—which is in my view a sign of Fascism creeping back into West Germany?

Mr. Renton

That seems to be above all a matter for the German Government. However, the Berne meeting, to which the question refers, is specifically concerned with human contacts and such matters as family re-unification, about which we shall wish to raise some serious cases.

Mr. Dickens

When my hon. Friend talks about racial and religious matters at the meeting, will he be sure to point out that where there are religious differences and customs, people will be expected to observe the laws of the country in which they reside?

Mr. Renton

I return to the fact that the Berne meeting, about which the question is concerned, is about such matters as travel, emigration and family re-unification. It does not cover a wide area, but I hope that there will be useful contacts on the issues that are covered by basket 3 of the Helsinki final act.

Mr. George Robertson

On the subject of the Berne meeting, may I draw the Minister's attention to the speech made by Mr. Gorbachev in Moscow last week—I had the distinction, and stamina, of listening to all five hours of it — and particularly the part about the interdependence of the world, which abandons the Soviet Government's previous position of irreconcilable camps in the world? Does he agree that that augurs well for continuing dialogue and discussion in the CSCE process? May we have some news about any progress that is being made in those talks?

Mr. Renton

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his patience and ability to listen to all five hours of Mr. Gorbachev's speech at the party congress. There is often a sense of frustration about the CSCE process, but it is worth reminding the House that it is a forum at which the important question of human rights can be discussed. I often think that it is interesting that Labour Members, who are so trusting of the Soviet Government regarding arms control, put down early-day motions about Soviet abuse of human rights, although the same Soviet leaders are involved in both issues.