§ 5 and 6. Mr. Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) why he is proposing that the bodies of the Spandau war criminals should be returned to their relatives on their death when, under British law, the body has to be buried within the walls of the prison in which the sentence was carried out;
(2) whether he will propose at the discussions now taking place on the Nuremberg prisoners in Spandau that the disposal of the bodies of these criminals should follow the same procedure as that adopted in British prisons for convicted murderers.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydThe procedure we proposed would, in fact, have brought the Spandau regulations in this matter broadly into line with British practice.2W under which the relatives of a prisoner who dies in prison otherwise than by judicial execution are afforded an opportunity of making their own arrangements for the disposal of the body. It has, however, now been agreed at the recent quadripartite talks in Berlin that the body of a prisoner who dies in Spandau is to be buried inside the prison with appropriate religious rites and with the near relatives in attendance. The latter will also be given opportunities to visit the grave.
§ Mr. Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has now had an opportunity of studying the evidence shown to the Minister of State, at his request, by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, and the author of the book, "The Seven Men of Spandau," concerning the illegal traffic both in and out of Spandau Gaol, and the political intrigues by the prisoners and their allies, aimed at the resurgence of a strong Nazi movement in Germany; what action the Government has taken to prevent these illegalities; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydInquiries are being made into this matter and I will communicate with the hon. Member when they are complete.