§ Mr. Bendallasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Spanish authorities on behalf of Mr. Brian Cochrane, of 16, Buckthorne house, Yellow Pine way, Hainault, Ilford, currently imprisoned at Alicante, who was arrested on 15 November 1982 and charged with aggression, has been refused bail, has been unable to obtain statements in respect of allegations and has had no date set for a hearing of his case.
§ Mr. HurdHer Majesty's Government have recently made representations to the Spanish authorities to express our concern about the growing number of British subjects who have been detained for very long periods, in some cases amounting to over a year, without being brought to trial. In Mr. Cochrane's case, our consul in Alicante is in regular contact with him and his Spanish lawyer and we shall continue to do all that we properly can to help.