§ 40. Mr. Montgomeryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will take steps to obtain the return to its owner of a car that was stolen in London on 19th September, 1968, and found in Brussels on 20th September, 1968; and if he will seek from the Belgian Government an explanation as to why the property of a British citizen has been kept by the Belgian authorities for six months in view of the British citizen's efforts to have it returned.
§ Mr. WhitlockThe car was held with others by the Belgian authorities as evidence in criminal proceedings instituted by them against ten people on charges of receiving stolen cars; the owner has now recovered possession. Its retention was in conformity with Belgian law, as it was required as an essential piece of evidence to secure a conviction.