HL Deb 09 May 1983 vol 442 cc332-4

2.52 p.m.

Lord Bethell

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many members of the All-Union Supreme Soviet or of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation visited the United Kingdom during the past 12 months.

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, no member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, nor of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Soviet Federal Socialist Republic, visited the United Kingdom in the past year in his capacity as a deputy of either of these bodies. However, several Soviet visitors to the United Kingdom during the past 12 months have been members of these institutions. Members of the USSR Supreme Soviet will visit the United Kingdom later this month, at the invitation of the Great Britain-USSR Association.

Lord Bethell

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer. Will he confirm that Britain does not discriminate on an individual basis against representatives of these Soviet bodies, which, with us, are members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, whereas the Soviet Government do discriminate and pick and choose on an individual basis between British parliamentarians? Therefore, will he agree that the time has come to redress this imbalance and deal with applications from Soviet so-called parliamentarians on the basis of reciprocity?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, I can, of course, confirm to my noble friend that there is no discrimination in any sense. My noble friend rightly criticises the Soviet Union for refusing visas on general political grounds. We would not wish to follow the Soviet example by refusing a Soviet applicant solely in retaliation for their prior refusal of a British applicant. Our practice is that visas are refused only when there is clear evidence that the individual concerned is personally unacceptable to us.

Lord Mayhew

My Lords, is it not remarkable that not one of the 1,500 elected members of the Supreme Soviet has ever asked a question critical of the defence policy of any Soviet Government?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, there are many things in heaven and earth that are remarkable.

Lord Shinwell

My Lords, can the noble Lord say whether when anybody occupying an official position in the Soviet Union comes to the United Kingdom, that person is approached by anyone from our Foreign Office, or anyone occupying an official position in the United Kingdom, directing the visitor's attention to the constant and persistent violation of human rights in the Soviet Union as compared with our behaviour in this country—for example, what is happening to Shcharansky at the present time?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, I believe that any visitor to this country would immediately recognise what the country as a whole feels about human rights. As regards the other part of the noble Lord's supplementary question, I do not think that the duties of a member of the Supreme Soviet can be compared with the duties of a British parliamentarian.

Lord Elwyn-Jones

My Lords, is there any prospect of a resumption of exchanges with the Supreme Soviet through the Inter-Parliamentary Union? They have proved to be of some value in the past, and the complete closing of dialogue with the Soviet Union would not be a very happy augury for the future.

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, there is no closing of dialogue with the Soviet Union at ministerial level. The House will be aware that my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary was in Russia last week, or possibly the week before, and, as I said in my original Answer, the Great Britain-USSR Association has arranged for members of the USSR Supreme Soviet to visit the United Kingdom later this month.

Lord Elwyn-Jones

My Lords, what is the IPU position?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, I am sorry, but I have no information on that point.

Lord Bethell

My Lords, how can there be parliamentary dialogue between the Soviet Union and Britain when the Soviet side are allowed to pick and choose with which British parliamentarians they have a dialogue?

Lord Skelmersdale

My Lords, I would say that the boot is equally on the other foot, for Members of this Parliament can pick and choose whom they see in the Soviet Republic.