§ Mr. BYRNEhad given notice of the following questions:—
67. To ask the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the delay in delivery of letters and parcels of food to Irish prisoners of war at Frongoch camp, and that in many cases parcels of food have been rendered unfit for use owing to delay in delivery; if he will make arrangements to have letters censored and parcels delivered more rapidly?
114. To ask the Home Secretary whether he has received a report as to the sanitation of Frongoch camp; if he is aware that Irish interned prisoners are deprived of Irish newspapers; that they are not allowed to write letters unless on a half sheet of notepaper; that, after censoring, their letters are sent out open in un-gummed envelopes; and if he will remedy these complaints?
§ 116. Mr. GINNELLasked the Home Secretary if he will state the rules under which Irish prisoners are detained in Frongoch camp; by whom drawn up; whether the Prime Minister has approved of the substantial departure from the scale of dietary set up at Richmond Barracks, Dublin, on the occasion of his visit there; why some parcels of supplementary food sent by friends are never delivered and other parcels are delivered after damage from delay; for what purpose, loss and inconvenience are imposed upon relatives from Ireland by refusing to allow them to visit prisoners except on compliance with conditions not publicly announced; and why letters are allowed to lie at the entrance to the camp undelivered?
§ Mr. TENNANTLetters and parcels for Irish prisoners at Frongoch are censored with all reasonable speed, and no cases of food having become unfit for consumption owing to delay in delivery have been brought to notice. Steps are being taken which will, it is hoped, make the censorship even more rapid. The latest report on the sanitary condition of Frongoch is satisfactory. The greater part of this camp has been in occupation by German 822 prisoners of war for over a year. Constant care, as in all such camps, is necessary to ensure proper sanitation. Special permission has recently been given by the Home Secretary for the introduction of Irish newspapers. The regulations as to correspondence are in accordance with the directions of the Home Secretary, and are the same as those which obtain in places of internment for prisoners of war. In accordance with the directions of the Home Secretary the rules which are in force for prisoners of war are applicable to interned Irish prisoners. The scale of rations and the rules for visits at Frongoch are in accordance with these directions.
§ Sir E. CARSONWhere is Frongoch?
§ Mr. TENNANTIt is in Wales.
§ Mr. BYRNEThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last part of Question 114: If, after censoring, their letters are sent out open in ungummed envelopes for anybody to read them?
§ Mr. TENNANTI have no information of that kind. I can hardly think that it can be true, but if the hon. Member will put down a question I will make inquiries.
§ Mr. TENNANTIt is not the only thing that has come ungummed in this War.
§ Mr. T. P. O'CONNORMay I ask my right hon. Friend, as this place is a little remote, if the authorities cannot see their way to prolong the duration of the visits of persons visiting these prisoners more than a quarter of an hour? I have heard of cases of gentlemen who, although coming long distances, have only been allowed a quarter of an hour.
§ Mr. TENNANTIt is really a question of the number of the staff available. I will see what can be done.
§ Mr. GINNELLMay I ask my right hon. enemy if he will be good enough to answer Question No. 116—Whether the scale of diet arranged at Richmond Barracks on the occasion of the visit of the Prime Minister will be set up at Frongoch, and also whether he will arrange for visitors from distant parts of Ireland, as mentioned in the question—[HON. MEMBERS: "Order, order!"]. It is on the Paper.
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf it is on the Paper it has been answered, as far as the right lion. Gentleman is able to answer it.
§ Mr. GINNELLIt has not been answered.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is either repeating the question on the Paper or else he is putting a fresh one.
§ Mr. GINNELLNo, Sir. I beg to ask those parts of Question No. 116 which have not been answered—one with reference to the scale of diet on a certain occasion at the Richmond Barracks and the other with reference to relatives from distant parts of Ireland.
§ Mr. SPEAKERReally the hon. Member must allow somebody else to ask questions as well as himself.
§ Mr. GINNELLWill you allow these questions to be answered?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI will not allow any further questions from the hon. Member.