South Africa: Co-operation with Security Forces (Hansard, 29 November 1989)

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Brabazon of Tara)
My Lords, we refuse all co-operation with South Africa in the military sphere in accordance with the restrictive measures agreed by the European Community in 1985.

§ Lord Hatch of Lusby
My Lords, I appreciate that Answer. However, is the Minister aware that I have a very strong personal interest in this Question? A very dear friend of mine, Ruth First, was murdered by the hit squad that is now being investigated in South Africa. Will the Minister go a little further on the intelligence aspect of security? According to a survey of intelligence published last month called The Ties That Bind, British intelligence, and it may be British military intelligence passes on information to the South African Government on the activities and movements of members of the ANC in this country and elsewhere. The survey says that this is done through the aegis of high commissions and embassies abroad. Will the Minister assure the House that if this is so it will be stopped?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, I respect the fact that the noble Lord has a personal interest which is expressed in this Question. I have to say that successive governments have not answered Questions on security or intelligence issues. However I can assure the House that the allegations in the publication The Ties That Bind to which the noble Lord referred are completely false.

§ Lord St. John of Bletso
My Lords, I share the concern of the noble Lord, Lord Hatch of Lusby, in regard to the allegations of Captain Coetzee in South Africa. Is the Minister aware that the Minister of Justice in South Africa has initiated a preliminary investigation into this alleged affair? Findings will be made public by this Friday. Furthermore, the state President has indicated his commitment to getting to the root of the affair.

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, the House will be grateful for the information that the noble Lord 418 has given on the subject. The South African Government are well aware of our strong objection to any improper activity by any foreign government in Britain. We shall follow the progress of the South African inquiry closely. It is clearly important that it should be seen to be as full and independent as possible.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, has the noble Lord read the series of articles appearing in the Guardian newspaper? They allege among other things that the explosives which were used in the bombing of the ANC office in 1982 were smuggled into this country in the diplomatic bag to the South African embassy. Have he and his department looked into this? Are they proposing as a result to re-open the investigation into the bombing?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, the bombing to which the noble Lord the Leader of the Opposition referred was investigated at the time. The case remains open. We expect anyone with evidence of illegal activity in this country to present it to the police. If such evidence is presented then of course it will be investigated.

§ Lord Hatch of Lusby
My Lords, on the same point, have the British Government called in the South African ambassador to investigate and ask him about the very serious allegations of the use of the diplomatic bag? Will the Minister strengthen the Answer that he gave to me before? Is it the case that the British Government pass on no intelligence information to the South African Government concerning the activities of members of the ANC or of any other opposition groups in South Africa in this or other countries?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, I am afraid that I cannot reply to the noble Lord's first point concerning calling in the South African ambassador to ask whether the diplomatic bag has been used to transmit explosives. Presumably that would have happened some little while ago. I shall make inquiries about that matter and write to the noble Lord. Furthermore, I cannot strengthen the assurance that I gave in reply to the first supplementary question of the noble Lord, which was that the allegations are completely false. I do not think that I can go much further than that.

§ Lord Hatch of Lusby
My Lords, the allegations are that the British intelligence services, including GCHQ, have passed on information to the South African Government concerning the activities of the ANC and other opposition members in this country. Will the Minister flatly deny that?

§ Lord Brabazon of Tara
My Lords, I have nothing further to add.