HL Deb 24 November 1970 vol 313 cc113-4WA
LORD GIFFORD

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they know of any cases in the past 25 years where a deserter or absentee without leave from the Armed Forces has been recaptured in the following circumstances:

  1. (i) he has escaped to another country, not being the country where he was serving at the time when he deserted or absented himself without leave;
  2. (ii) a request has been made on behalf of Her Majesty's Government to the authorities of that country for him to be arrested and handed over;
  3. (iii) the authorities of that country have complied with that request; and, if they know of any such cases, how many have there been, and which countries have been involved in each case.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE (LORD CARRINGTON)

There certainly have been a number of cases of the type the noble Lord mentions, but without a disproportionate expense of effort and time I cannot say whether the details asked for would be available. Such information as is readily available indicates that in recent years deserters have been recovered from such countries as France, Spain, Turkey, Egypt, Australia and Norway, but the precise circumstances of such recoveries are not known.