§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the circumstances that led to the killing in Laos of a British nurse, Miss Theresa Horsfield, and on the steps that have been taken to bring those responsible to justice.
§ Mr. LuardMiss Theresa Horsfield, a British nurse working in Laos, was murdered on 29th November while travelling by road between Thakhek and Vientiane. Investigations have revealed that she was killed by armed soldiers who were not members of the Royal Laotian forces.
The British Ambassador in Vientiane addressed a Note to the Foreign Ministry of the Royal Laotian Government on 12th December containing a vigorous protest about the murder of Miss Horsfield, and 419W expressing the hope that those responsible would be brought rapidly to justice. The Ambassador requested the Foreign Ministry to transmit this Note to the representative in Vientiane of the Communist Pathet Lao.
The Royal Laotian Government have agreed to do this, and have expressed to Her Majesty's Ambassador their own profound grief at Miss Horfield's death.
If the hon. Gentleman would like further details of this tragic and wanton killing, which I deeply deplore, I will be very willing to send them to him.