HL Deb 05 April 1960 vol 222 cc683-5

3.23 p.m.

VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, may I repeat the Private Notice Question postponed earlier this afternoon, to ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make a statement on the position of the Bishop of Johannesburg?

THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS (THE EARL OF HOME)

My Lords, I apologise to the noble Viscount; I am very grateful to him for allowing me to fulfil a public engagement which I had at lunch time.

The High Commissioner has reported that the Anglican Bishop of Johannesburg has arrived in Swaziland for a short stay before leaving for England later in the month. I have seen Press reports that the Bishop has asked the High Commissioner to find out from the Union Government whether they intend to detain him under the Union Emergency Regulations. If this Press report is correct, the request must have been made subsequently to the High Commissioner's report of the Bishop's arrival in Swaziland. I am making further inquiries of the High Commissioner. If the Bishop wishes to stay in Swaziland for longer than a month it will be open to him to do so, if he complies with the immigration law. He is not being required by the Swaziland Government to return to the Union.

VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, I am very much obliged to the noble Earl for his reply. I hope that it may be possible, as a result of the inquiries he is making of the High Commissioner, for us to have a further statement in a very short period. Those of us who are concerned about these particular matters in South Africa are very concerned that the great leader of a diocese should not in any way be interfered with in the conduct of his duties, which must include concern for the whole of the members of his Church and their families committed to his charge; and we are therefore very anxious that Her Majesty's Government may be quite certain in their attitude of protection of his rights in this matter. I have seen the report in The Times this morning, and I must say that I most heartily sympathise with the Bishop of Johannesburg in his statement of intentions.

THE EARL OF HOME

Of course, my Lords, we fully share the concern of the noble Viscount. The only news I have seen has been in the Press. I do not know what request the Bishop has made to the High Commissioner; nor do I know that there is any intention of the South African Government to take any action at all. I should like to clarify the situation before I say more.

VISCOUNT STANSGATE

My Lords, will Parliament be informed in due course of the arrest of any British subjects by the Union Government under the emergency powers?

THE EARL OF HOME

Almost at once; I am going to do it now.

LORD REA

My Lords, could the noble Earl inform us whether he is likely to make a further statement about the Bishop in the next few days? At the beginning of his statement he said the High Commissioner reported that the Bishop had arrived for a short stay. On the television and wireless the reports were that the Bishop had "turned up" in Swaziland, which had a rather sinister sound. Would the noble Earl be in a position to tell us what is behind it?

THE EARL OF HOME

My Lords, I do not know the difference between turning up and arriving for a short stay—there may be none. But, as I said, I should like to get more facts about this situation. So far as I know, the Bishop is free to go anywhere, either back to the Union, to this country or anywhere else. I do not know the latest facts.

VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

With regard to the noble Earl's previous reference to the Press report, he has no doubt seen the reported statement in the London Times, that the Bishop said he had asked the British High Commissioner to find out from the South. African Government whether they intended to detain him under the Emergency Regulations. If (as was said, I think in the Guardian) he had been advised by his church authorities out there to leave, evidently there was something in the report of the intention to arrest him which led the church authorities to do that. This makes us very anxious, because this is a British citizen and we are responsible for the safety of his rights in the matter.

THE EARL OF HOME

My Lords, I am very anxious. This is a very unusual situation and a very unusual request in a very unusual situation. I think I must get the High Commissioner's advice before I say any more to the House on this matter; but I certainly will, of course, as soon as I can.