Lord Paget of NorthamptonMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask whether it is still the policy of Her Majesty's Government to deny to kidnappers arid terrorists the hope of obtaining ransoms or the release of fellow terrorists sentenced by the courts or the use of media to advertise their policy; and if so whether they will state their attitude to the activities of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and of his personal representative Mr. Terry Waite.
The Minister of State, Home Office (The Earl of Caithness)My Lords, it remains the Government's policy to make no substantive concessions to demands made by terrorists. The most reverend Primate and his representative, Mr. Terry Waite, act independently of governments. We welcome what Mr. Waite has achieved in his missions to secure the release of hostages. Mr. Waite is well aware of the principles on which the Government's policy towards hostage cases is based.
Lord Paget of NorthamptonMy Lords, are Her Majesty's Government aware of what is going on concerning this matter or are they in the same position as the President of America? Nobody seems to be told what is happening on these occasions. Apparently we have the Archbishop's emissary going off, and coming back with a hostage whose release, we heard at that point, was secured; but apparently he seems to have been bought for a Guinness Book of Records price for hostages in what he appears to have cost. When do we come into the story?
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, I can assure the noble Lord that we certainly know what we are doing. I have no doubt that Mr. Terry Waite knows what he is doing, but he acts totally independently from the Government, which is only right considering that he is the representative of the most reverend Primate.
§ The Lord Bishop of HerefordMy Lords, are Her Majesty's Government aware that the appeal for assistance to Mr. Waite to obtain the release of hostages from Beirut came to the Archbishop of Canterbury at the request of the churches in the Middle East and the Presbyterian Church of America? Further, is the noble Earl aware that appeals for help to the Archbishop of Canterbury are arranged through the extensive ecumenical and inter-faith network, of which the Anglican Church is a part?
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, I am grateful to the right reverend Prelate, and indeed I welcome once again what Mr. Waite has managed to achieve. It is most notable that, acting totally independently of the Government, he has done this. Indeed, the success of his missions depends on that independence.
§ Lord Cledwyn of PenrhosMy Lords, is the noble Earl aware that we, or the great majority of us, on this side of the House admire the selfless, courageous, patient and modest way in which Mr. Terry Waite carries out these difficult tasks?
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, I am most grateful to the noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition, and I fully concur with his sentiments.
Lord Paget of NorthamptonMy Lords, even if one concurs with all the encomiums of the Leader of the Opposition, I am bound to say that it astonishes me to hear that the Government approve of what he has done. He has gone around—
Lord Paget of NorthamptonMy Lords, has he not gone around at the request of kidnappers and provided them with admirable publicity and a deal? Is not that the very thing that the Government do not want done with kidnappers?
The Earl of CaithnessMy Lords, I believe that we all respect what Mr. Waite has achieved in difficult circumstances, and I believe also that he is to be congratulated on what he has done.