§ 88. Mr. MALCOLMasked the Under-Secretary of State for War why, seeing that numbers of French and German prisoners are already interned in sanatoria in Switzerland, His Majesty's Government only began negotiations quite recently to obtain the same hospitable treatment for British prisoner invalids; and can he say how soon the first batch of British prisoners will be sent to Switzerland?
§ Mr. TENNANTThis matter has formed the subject of negotiation for some time past, but no agreement could be reached. The arrangement upon which we are now working differs from that which had previously been under consideration. I cannot answer the last part of the question.
§ Mr. MALCOLMAfter the speech of the day before yesterday, I thought that an arrangement had been arrived at?
§ Mr. TENNANTYes.
§ Mr. MALCOLMWill the right hon. Gentleman tell me what the arrangement is?
§ Mr. TENNANTI will certainly let my hon. Friend know. It involves a long story.
§ Mr. J. M. HENDERSONDoes it include prisoners who do not require that treatment?
§ Mr. TENNANTIt is difficult to answer that off-hand. The list of diseases is a long one. I should require notice.
§ 110. Mr. MALCOLMasked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware that British military prisoners of war in Germany when confined in fortresses for misdemeanours are not allowed to receive parcels of food from home during the period of their incarceration; whether the same rule applies to Germans similarly imprisoned in Great Britain; and, if so, will he take steps to have this rule relaxed on condition of reciprocal treatment for our prisoners or give an assurance that German prisoners of this class shall receive the same amount of food in quantity and quality as is given to British prisoners in Germany?
§ Mr. TENNANTI understand that neither in Germany nor in the United Kingdom are prisoners of war allowed to receive parcels of food when undergoing punishment. The question of British prisoners being allowed, when so situated, to receive bread sent from abroad has been taken up by the American Ambassador in Berlin with the German Government.