§ Lord RUSSELL of LIVERPOOLasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any further steps are to be taken, with the co-operation of France and the United States of America, to try and persuade the Soviet Union to agree to the release from prison of Rudolf Hess.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts). The noble Lord will be aware that the British Government made an approach to the Soviet authorities on 29th April this year, in a fresh attempt to secure their agreement to Rudolf Hess's immediate release. Similar action was taken by the United States and French Governments. Unfortunately, the reaction of the Soviet Government was once again entirely negative. The British Government remains determined to maintain the pressure on the Soviet authorities to set Hess free, and will certainly consider proposing to the French and United States Governments a fresh joint approach whenever such an approach seems likely to be productive.