§ LORD TREVELYANMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many United Kingdom citizens are imprisoned in China, whether the Government have any information about them and what representations they have made to the Chinese Government.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (LORD ABERDARE)My Lords, there is one British subject, Mr. Johnston, formerly manager of the Chartered Bank in Shanghai, detained in China. There are also four other British subjects believed to be detained in China. We have made clear to the Chinese Government our grave concern about them on many occasions. The latest was on November 11 to the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires in London.
§ LORD TREVELYANMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that Answer, may I ask him whether he will continue to make representations, particularly about Mr. Johnston, the other four British subjects having chosen, more or less, as I understand, to separate themselves from this country over a period of about twenty years?
§ LORD ABERDAREYes, my Lords; I will certainly undertake to do that.