§ 84. Miss Joan Lestorasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what are the conclusions of Her Majesty's Government on the representations made to them proposing the imposition of a passport sanction, a travel sanction, telecommunication sanctions and postal sanctions against the illegal Smith régime.
§ Mr. George ThomsonWe have been giving attention to such measures together with other possible measures against the illegal régime.
§ 85. Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs why the British Broadcasting Corporation are allowed to sell television programmes, including the Forsyte Saga and Pinky and Perky, to Rhodesia; and if he will now tighten up sanctions with a view to forbidding such sales.
§ Mr. George ThomasMy right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear on 31st January, 1966, when he announced the embargo on virtually all trade with Rhodesia, that it was not the intention to interfere with the free movement of books, periodicals and cinema films. Television films come under the heading cinema films.
While Her Majesty's Government are opposed to any action which might inhibit freedom of expression or impede the movement of news and information, the effectiveness of this sanction, together with others, is continually under review.
§ 86 and 87. Mr. Ronald Bellasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth 261W Affairs (1) when he was first approached by solicitors in London in respect of a petition to Her Majesty relating to the three Africans recently hanged in Rhodesia; and whether those solicitors represented themselves as acting on instructions from the condemned men;
(2) who first approached his Department in the week ended 3rd March in relation to a petition or proposed petition, to Her Majesty in respect of the three Africans recently hanged in Rhodesia; what advice he gave to them; and at what time;
(3) when he or his Department was first approached in the week ended 3rd March in relation to the petition to the Queen in respect of the three Africans recently hanged in Rhodesia.
§ Mr. George ThomsonMy Department was first approached in the matter of a petition to the Queen for the exercise of the Prerogative of Mercy on the morning of Saturday, 2nd March. This approach was made by the lawyers in London who, in collaboration with lawyers in Salisbury, had been acting for the condemned men in the proceedings before the Rhodesian courts. They said that they proposed to submit petitions to the Queen later that day asking for the Prerogative of Mercy to be exercised in respect of the condemned men. They explained the grounds upon which these petitions would rely. They further explained that they had not received express instructions from Salisbury to submit the petitions but that, in view of the imminent danger of their clients being hanged, they regarded it as being in the interests of their clients to proceed without delay. No advice was given to them but my Department assured them that the petitions, when submitted, would be considered with expedition.
§ 88. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs whether it was with the approval of Her Majesty's Government that the British Broadcasting Corporation have sold films to Rhodesia; and what further plans the Government have for promoting cultural exchanges with that country.
§ Mr. George ThomasThe B.B.C. is independent of the Government and on matters of this kind is guided by commercial considerations. The answer to the second part of the Question is that262W there is no question of the Government promoting cultural relations with Rhodesia until there is a return to constitutional government in that country.
Mr. Alan Lee Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions the death sentence has been carried out in Southern Rhodesia since 1965; and how many of those executed were of African, Asian or European origin.
§ Mr. George ThomsonFive death sentences have been carried out in Southern Rhodesia since the illegal declaration of independence in November, 1965; those executed were African.
§ Mr. Juddasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs what action he has now taken to ascertain the names, former occupations and details of charges brought against them of all those at present under sentence of death in Rhodesia for alleged political offences.
§ Mr. George ThomsonWe are taking all practicable steps to ensure that our records are as comprehensive as possible.
§ Mr. Ronald Bellasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs to what issues relating to the reprieve of the three Africans recently hanged in Rhodesia he gave consideration on Friday, 1st March.
§ Mr. George ThomsonThe possibility that petitions for mercy might be submitted, as was done in two cases about two years ago, had of course been present to my mind since the régime announced in August, 1967, that they intended to execute these men. In the light of the information that reached me on 1st March regarding the decisions in the courts in Salisbury that day, I took steps to ascertain precisely what my personal responsibilities as Secretary of State would be if petitions were once again submitted. But the question remained hypothetical until notice of intention to submit petitions was given my my Department on Saturday, 2nd March.
§ Mr. Ronald Bellasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs in what manner, and at what time, the granting of a reprieve in the recent Rhodesian case was communicated by Her Majesty's Government to the authorities in de facto control in Rhodesia.
263W
§ Mr. George ThomsonAs indicated in the statement issued by the Commonwealth Office on the evening of 2nd March, notification of the reprieve was telegraphed to those concerned with carrying out death sentences in Rhodesia that evening. News of the reprieve was reported in the Press and on the radio in Rhodesia, as well as being broadcast to audiences there by the British Broadcasting Corporation.