§ Sir J. Mellorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has protested against the refusal of the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs to entertain inquiries concerning aliens, believed to have died in the U.S.S.R., submitted by British subjects through the British Embassy in Moscow; and with what result.
§ Mr. MayhewIf by "aliens" the hon. Member means British subjects or British protected persons, it is not the case that the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuse to entertain such inquiries. If, however, the hon. Member means non-British subjects, His Majesty's Embassy have no standing in such cases, but there is a "Central Tracing Bureau" in Moscow which could deal with them. Inquiries of this bureau should be made either direct or through the appropriate Soviet Embassy and not through His Majesty's Embassy in Moscow.