§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have obtained from the Government of the USSR about Vasili Shipilov, aged 65, a Russian Orthodox Priest, who has been imprisoned in the USSR for 47 out of the last 48 years, and how they assess his prospects of release.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Glenarthur)Vasili Shipilov was included on a list of human rights cases which my right honourable and learned friend handed to Mr. Shevardnadze during his recent visit to the Soviet Union. We await the Soviet response to this list. A number of well-known Soviet prisoners of conscience have been released in the past year. We hope that Mr. Shipilov may be added to their number.