§ LORD VANSITTARTMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask whether the Government's attention has been drawn to the new Bulgarian law, not only sentencing to death those Bulgarian refugees who refuse to go back when summoned by the Communist authorities, but imposing savage and inhuman penalties on any of their relatives remaining in Bulgaria; and whether the Government contemplate the expulsion of any mission, agency or person attempting to apply the law in this country by delivering to refugees summonses for their return.]
THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)My Lords, the answer to the first question put by the noble Lord is Yes; Her Majesty's Government are aware of this law. They consider that it constitutes a denial of the elementary principle of justice, accepted by all civilised nations, that no person should be punished for an offence of which he is innocent or to which he is not an accessory. Steps have been taken to add this new evidence of Bulgarian violation of human rights to the documentation already submitted to the United Nations. With regard to the second part of the Question, I can assure the noble Lord that, as I informed him in a reply to a 3 Question in a similar context on October 29, refugees resident in this country can rest assured that they have the full protection of our courts and that no foreign authority can by arbitrary action force them to leave this country against their will. Any refugee who feels that he is being subjected to improper pressure should at once inform the police. If there were proof of improper pressure being brought to bear on persons resident in this country, we should take suitable action.
§ LORD VANSITTARTI thank the noble Marquess for his reply; I have no supplementary questions to-day.