§ 37. Mr. HUME-WILLIAMSasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the information which reaches the War Office shows that the condition of English prisoners in Turkey is deplorable and the men hungry; whether parcels sent to them do not arrive but money orders do; and whether he will consider the propriety of causing the pay of soldiers confined in Turkey to be at once sent to them so that they may obtain the necessities of life?
§ Mr. JAMES HOPE (Lord of the Treasury)I am afraid that the suggestion in the first part of the question is only too true, except as regards the officers, and I believe the suggestion in the second part of the question is, generally speaking, accurate. A British Relief Fund, administered by the Netherland Minister at Constantinople, has been provided to meet the needs of British prisoners of war in Turkey. Amounts up to £T3 a month have been distributed to individual soldier prisoners, and, so far as I am aware, there have been no representations 1899 that the amounts have been inadequate or the total fund insufficient. The amounts so granted do not form a charge against the pay of the soldiers, which remains at their disposal in this country. I am informed that the War Office cannot see their way to giving any such instruction regarding the disposal of the soldiers' pay as my hon. and learned Friend suggests.
§ Mr. HUME-WILLIAMSCould not rather more than £3 per month be sent to these poor men, seeing that they have to depend upon it?