§ 7. Sir ARTHUR MARKHAMasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any information showing that there is any considerable number of officers and men at the present moment prisoners of war in Turkey; if so, will he state the reasons why the Turkish Government have refused to furnish these names; and whether His Majesty's Government have refused to furnish the Turkish Government with the names of Turkish officers and men taken prisoners?
§ Lord R. CECILI have recently received from the United States Embassy at Constantinople through the United States Ambassador in London a list of 491 British naval and military prisoners of war taken at the Dardanelles. The United States Embassy believe this list to be complete. I have also received from the United States Embassy a list of 107 British prisoners taken in Mesopotamia. I am pressing for a complete list of prisoners taken in Mesopotamia. It was at one moment found necessary to suspend the transmission to the Porte of lists of Turkish prisoners of war, but on the receipt of the lists of the British prisoners of war the transmission of the lists of Turkish prisoners of war was resumed.
§ Sir A. MARKHAMHave the relatives been notified?
§ Lord R. CECILYes, I think the relatives have all been notified—I believe so.
§ 16. Mr. MALCOLMasked how soon the first British invalid prisoners of war will be sent to sanatoria in Switzerland?
§ Mr. TENNANTNo, Sir, I am not yet in a position to say.
§ Mr. MALCOLMCan the right hon. Gentleman tell me when he will be in a position to say? Can he say how long these negotiations are likely to take?
§ Mr. TENNANTIt is very difficult to answer that question. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put down a question in a week or ten days' time.
§ 17. Mr. MALCOLMasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any answer has yet been received to the telegram sent from the Foreign Office to The Hague relative to the punishment of the sixteen Naval Reserve prisoners interned at Groeningen; whether he can explain the delay in the reply to his telegram, and state what sentence these men have served; and what action His Majesty's Government propose to take in the matter?
§ Lord R. CECILThe inquiry was made by dispatch, and on its receipt at The Hague the Commodire at Groeningen was requested by telegram to furnish a Report, which has now been received. Four of the men concerned have completed their sentence of fourteen days in cells. The remainder have been provisionally released pending further inquiries, but I cannot say how much of their sentence they served. His Majesty's Minister at The Hague is making representations to the Netherlands Government with regard to the case.
§ Mr. MALCOLMDoes that mean that His Majesty's Government will demand a full explanation of these unjust sentences, and will demand compensation for those who have been wrongly imprisoned?
§ Lord R. CECILI cannot answer that question without further consideration. Undoubtedly a full inquiry will be made, and if my hon. Friend wishes to proceed further in the matter, as I dare say he does, perhaps he will put down a question.
§ 18. Mr. MALCOLMasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Interdepartmental Committee recently appointed to deal with 1686 the question of prisoners of war has the power to take evidence, to reconsider decisions arrived at by the Government before it was appointed, and to consider questions affecting the conduct of prison camps in Great Britain as well as of those abroad?
§ Lord R. CECILEvidence as to the treatment of British prisoners of war will continue to be taken by the Government Committee recently set up for this purpose. The reference to the Interdepartmental Committee is that it should deal with any questions with which two or more of the Departments represented are concerned. It will be for the Committee to decide whether any particular question raised comes within its reference.
§ Mr. MALCOLMIs the Interdepartmental Committee permitted to decide?
§ Lord R. CECILThe Interdepartmental Committee will decide whether the question comes within its reference, and will take such action as it is able to take in the matter.
§ 105. Mr. GINNELLasked the Under-Secretary of State for War why, in exchanging prisoners of war with the enemy, only one British officer was obtained in exchange for Prince Salm, notwithstanding the promise of three British officers given in the letter which Mrs. Harriet Scott brought to this country from Austria?
§ Mr. TENNANTAll points bearing on the exchange of Prince Salm-Salm were considered before the agreement with Ger many was reached.