HL Deb 13 July 1976 vol 373 cc146-7

2.48 p.m.

Lord CLIFFORD of CHUDLEIGH

My 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 in view of the assurances given in answer to a Question on 21st October 1975, what arrangements have since been made to ensure that the "war graves" of 1,000 British sailors of H.M.S. "Prince of Wales and H.M.S. "Repulse" are to remain undisturbed.

Lord WINTERBOTTOM

My Lords, in October 1975 we alerted our missions in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo and Djakarta about our continuing concern to protect undisturbed the wreck of H.M.S. "Prince of Wales", and also the wreck of H.M.S. "Repulse", asking them to report any activity which might indicate that salvage or interference with these wrecks was being contemplated. I am happy to assure noble Lords that we have had no reports of any such activity.

Lord CLIFFORD of CHUDLEIGH

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply, may I ask whether he is aware that, since that Question on 21st October 1975, the Royal Navy has been withdrawn from that part of the world and that the Royal British Legion at their annual conference passed a unanimous resolution on the subject? Is he also aware that there have been innumerable newspaper articles, not only in this country, and that what they all demand of Her Majesty's Government is that there should be a cast-iron—I nearly said "watertight"—guarantee that Her Majesty's Government have the necessary international guarantees that these ships will not be interfered with, especially by a Japanese salvage company? Can the noble Lord give that assurance?

Lord WINTERBOTTOM

My Lords, it is not only the organisations mentioned by the noble Lord which are concerned at this situation, but also your Lordships' House. The noble Lord has asked for cast-iron guarantees. This is difficult, but there is one cast-iron fact; that is, that these two ships are still the property of Her Majesty's Government, and, as I said in reply to the Question, in order to forestall any salvage operations the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has alerted the four missions I mentioned and asked them to report any activity which indicates a salvage operation or interference with the wrecks. I think this is the nearest we can get to a cast-iron guarantee.

Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONE

My Lords, since the noble Lord the Minister has stated, I believe correctly, that the wrecks are the property of Her Majesty's Government, can he give an undertaking that legal proceedings will be taken in any court to which any potential salvor is amenable, including, if need be, the criminal jurisdiction of the Admiralty here?

Lord WINTERBOTTOM

My Lords, I think that was implicit in my reply.

Lord DAVIES of LEEK

My Lords, the noble and learned Lord has anticipated my supplementary question.