§ 3.15 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider that the answer of the German Federal Republic dated 21st February, 1957, to the Eight-Power Note of 21st June, 1956, protesting against imperfections in the German Federal Indemnification Law of 1956 regarding compensation for victims of Nazi persecution, gives reason to expect that the Federal Government will provide for the refugee survivors of concentration camps compensation not less than that which, in the Bonn Convention of 1952, and the Paris Agreement of 1954, it pledged itself to provide and, if not, whether Her Majesty's Government will take further action, and, if necessary, bring the matter up for arbitration, as provided for in the Bonn Convention.]
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF GOSFORD)My Lords, although the Federal Government's reply of February 21, 1957 did not give reason to expect that the Federal Government would provide adequately for all the refugee survivors of concentration camps, or to certain other groups of victims of Nazi persecution, it did, however, suggest that they might consider the establishment of a charitable fund from which victims 229 of persecution, or the dependants of victims, who were in hardship, might draw. Her Majesty's Government consulted other Governments interested in these questions. The Federal Government have since been informed on behalf of the Governments of France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway, that these Governments were prepared, without prejudice to the juridical position, to discuss the Federal Government's proposal further, provided that improvements to its content and form could be made. Her Majesty's Government hope that such further discussions will take place before long.
The arbitration procedure provided for in the Bonn Convention on Relations between the Three Powers and the Federal Republic of Germany was intended for use where disputes had not proved capable of resolution by negotiation. It is clearly premature to discuss recourse to that procedure, because further negotiation is intended.
LORD WINDLESHAMMy Lords, while thanking the noble Earl for his most welcome and informative reply, I should like to ask him whether he would agree with me that this is a human problem and realises (as I am sure he does) that the legal aspect should tae second place to the ethical aspect of the problem.
THE EARL OF GOSFORDMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his kind remarks about my statement. Her Majesty's Government entirely agree with the sentiments which he has expressed.
§ LORD DENHAMMy Lords, can the noble Earl say whether, in fact, the wording of the suggestion by the Federal Government was not:
To set up a fund to assist such victims of National Socialist persecution who live in these eight European countries "—that is, the eight Powers who wrote the original Note to the Federal Government—and that this wording specifically omits the victims of persecution who live in Germany, including the displaced persons? And if that is the case, will Her Majesty's Government press at all subsequent discussions on this subject with the Federal Government that the displaced persons and other victims in 230 Germany should be included in the advantages of the fund?
THE EARL OF GOSFORDMy Lords, I do not think that what the noble Lord says is correct. As I remember, the reply of the Federal Government covered all the victims concerned. I will, however, read through the reply again.
LORD ST. OSWALDMy Lords, I have a short question within the general Question of the noble Lord, Lord Windlesham. I should like to ask the noble Earl whether he would think it proper or useful to draw the attention of the German Government to the way in which pledges and undertakings they themselves have given have been, to a large extent, frustrated by the officials to whom they have been entrusted. Other noble Lords besides myself can, if required, give a list of instances of this.
THE EARL OF GOSFORDMy Lords, I think that the scope of that question is a little outside the scope of the original Question of the noble Lord, Lord Windlesham, but if any noble Lord cares to give me examples we will certainly study them.