LORD JANNERMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper. Before the Answer may I offer my apologies to the noble Baroness for not having been present on the last occasion on which I tabled this Question. The fact is that because of traffic congestion I arrived a few minutes late.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take steps in conjunction with other Governments to extend the provisions of the Convention on Genocide to provide compensation by the perpetrators of the crime to their victims and to the families of the victims.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE)My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Lord for what he has said, and I am sure the whole House is very glad to see him in his place. The answer to his Question is this: No, my Lords, because genocide is currently under study by the Sub-Commission of the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
LORD JANNERMy Lords, does the noble Baroness realise that entirely apart from the moral distress, for which of course nobody can get any compensation, there is a tremendous need to see that the victims of this heinous crime are not deprived of reparation for the damage that has been done to themselves and their families? Would she inquire into the matter, bearing in mind the very serious and commendable way in which after the war the late Dr. Adenaur in particular and the West German Governments dealt with the material claims of the victims, and the manner in which such countries as East Germany are not dealing with reparations of a similar nature?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, this particular study which I mentioned is on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide. Compensation is not specifically mentioned but the rapporteur will, of course, be able to draw on material which is available in connection with war crimes.
LORD JANNERMy Lords, would the noble Baroness please do her best to bring to the notice of those who are at present dealing with the project, the fact that there is terrible distress among people who have been the victims of the crime of genocide, and that that should be put right?
§ BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIEMy Lords, I agree that there is no doubt about there being terrible distress, but it is going to be very difficult to get agreement on adequate arrangements for compensation, because the most likely perpetrators of genocide are nearly always Governments, and there is at present no means by which a Government could be compelled to make reparation to the victims of its policies.