§ 12. Mr. O'GRADYasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to a statement from British soldiers at present in the East Leeds War Hospital protesting against the difference in treatment of themselves as against that of an Austrian interned prisoner of war who is also in the same hospital, the allegation being that the Austrian prisoner of war is fed with luxuries and treated with a consideration 986 denied to wounded British occupants of the same ward; whether wounded British soldiers make no complaint about their own hospital treatment but declare that what is good enough for them should be good enough for this alien enemy; and whether, having regard to the fact that this differential treatment is causing criticism locally of the hospital authorities, inquiries will be made and steps taken to rectify the matter?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThis man, who is an interned civilian, was on a fish diet, and the statements made respecting special treatment are incorrect, except that on one occasion a jelly was bought and given to the patient, who was very ill and unable to take his food or share the gifts of special food articles sent to the ward. He was at first separately accommodated with another interned civilian in a small ward of two beds, but it became necessary to use this ward for other dangerously ill cases, and he was then moved into a general ward.