§ Mr. SWANasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that the Egyptian bar requested permission to send Egyptian lawyers to defend Lieutenant Aly Abdul Latif, and that the Sudan legal secretary issued a communiqué throughout the Press bureau to the: effect that he could not allow any lawyers from Egypt or from Europe to plead before the Sudan law courts at Khartoum; is he aware that Egyptian lawyers pleaded before these courts two years ago: and will he say whether the present policy indicates a separation of the Sudan from Egypt?
Mr. HARMSWORTHUnder the regulations as to advocates in the Sudan a licence to practice in the Sudan Courts is required, for which privilege a considerable annual fee is paid. Casual advocates, whether from Egypt or from Europe, are not, therefore, permitted to appear in official cases at Khartoum, so long as a choice of advocates who regularly practise there is available for anyone. These facts were alluded to in a recent communiqué issued at Khartoum on the occasion referred to by the hon. Member. I have no information as to the incident referred to in the second part of the question. As regards the last part, the policy of His Majesty's Government has undergone no change. The Sudanese legal authorities have always been at liberty to frame their own rules in these matters.