HL Deb 15 December 1954 vol 190 c460WA
LORD RUSSELL OF LIVERPOOL

asked Her Majesty's Government:

(1) whether, when they caused Dr. Weiner Naumann to be arrested, they considered that there was sufficient evidence to enable him to be prosecuted;

(2) whether, when they handed him over to the West German Federal Government, they made the evidence available to the Federal authorities;

(3) whether, when Dr. Naumann was handed over, Her Majesty's Government, or the High Commissioner acting on the Government's behalf, asked for an assurance from the West German Federal Government that Dr. Naumann would be prosecuted.

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)

(1) There was some evidence that Dr. Naumann was engaged in a conspiracy against the Federal Government and the Occupying Powers. He was arrested in order to frustrate this design and to enable a large number of documents to be seized and investigated in order to ascertain whether they produced additional evidence of such a conspiracy.

(2) All documents and evidence collected during the investigation were handed over to the German authorities.

(3) No agreement was entered into between Her Majesty's Government and the German Federal Government at the time of the hand-over or at any other time.

House adjourned at six o'clock.