§ 51. Mr. MALCOLMasked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to appoint a new Committee to co-ordinate the various bodies now dealing with questions affecting prisoners of war; and whether he can give the names of those composing the new Committee and indicate the duties and powers that will be assigned to them?
§ Lord R. CECILAn Interdepartmental Committee consisting of a representative from each of the following offices—the Home Office, the War Office, the Admiralty and the Foreign Office—is to meet under the chairmanship of my Noble Friend Lord Newton, which will deal with all questions relating to prisoners that require joint action of two or more Departments.
§ 52. Mr. MALCOLMasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that in December last a conference was held at Stockholm between representatives of the Russian Red Cross Society and the Red Cross delegates of the Central Powers to discuss questions affecting the treatment of prisoners; and whether His Majesty's Government will consent to a similar meeting for a similar purpose between Red Cross representatives of Great Britain and Germany in a neutral country?
§ Lord R. CECILThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; His Majesty's Government regret that they are not able to adopt the suggestion made in the second part of the question.
§ 53. Mr. MALCOLMasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that during the present winter three Russian Red Cross ladies, accompanied by three Danish gentlemen, have visited over seventy prisoner camps in Germany, and that 1357 three German Red Cross ladies, accompanied by three Danish gentlemen, have visited a very large number of camps in Russia; and whether His Majesty's Government would consent to a similar interchange of visits between Red Cross representatives of Germany and England accompanied by neutrals?
§ Lord R. CECILMy hon. Friend has already communicated to me semiofficially and in general terms the information contained in the first part of the question. I am afraid that the suggestion made in the second part of the question cannot be adopted. The United States Ambassador at Berlin and his large staff have been good enough to devote a considerable portion of their time to the care of our prisoners. They have made upward of 170 visits to camps and hospitals in Germany where British prisoners of war are interned, and I am glad to say that their efforts, which His Majesty's Government highly appreciate, have met with a considerable measure of success.