§ 11. Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will evaluate the "Time Watch" programme on prisoners from the Korean war, a transcript of which has been sent to his Department; and if he will update the evidence produced by his Department during the meeting between a Minister of his Department and the hon. Member for Linlithgow on this subject. [12037]
§ Mr. SoamesI have great sympathy for the families of service men who remain unaccounted for following the 130 Korean war. Nothing has been discovered since the hon. Gentleman's meeting which has altered our view that there is no evidence that British service men were improperly detained after the post-hostilities repatriations. We will, of course, follow up any evidence if it should emerge.
§ Mr. DalyellAs it now seems not entirely inconceivable—I put it no higher—that national service contemporaries of mine in the Royal Armoured Corps could still be in remote Russian camps after 45 years, and as Russia is becoming more free, will the Government follow up any possibility that there are British people, all these years after the Korean and Vietnam wars, still in those camps?
§ Mr. SoamesI wholly understand and applaud the hon. Gentleman's honourable concern and sympathy for those who still remain unaccounted for. His words will, I am sure, have been recognised by those families that are affected. As he knows, most careful and detailed investigations were carried out by successive Governments and Administrations to resolve the cases of service men unaccounted for. No evidence has been found of any British service men being detained, but I assure him that we will, and are, taking advantage of greater openness in Russia. My Department has in recent years carried out detailed research and exchanged information with US and Russian experts to see whether any evidence could be found. No new evidence has emerged. I assure the hon. Gentleman that we shall continue to work hard where any leads emerge.