HC Deb 18 April 1918 vol 105 cc536-7
5. Major NEWMAN

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the weekly ration of meat, including bacon, sugar, and fats, now issued to interned civilian enemy subjects is now of no greater quantity than that permitted to our own civilian population; and will he give the scale of dietary as recently revised?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir George Cave)

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the very full reply which I gave on the 5th March to the hon. and learned Member for York. The revised scale of dietary in civilian internment camps was circulated with my reply, and there has been no change since that date.

6. Major NEWMAN

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the report of the proceedings at an inquest held on a civilian German interned at the Alexandra Palace, Wood Green, N., on the 9th instant; whether Major Foulerton, Royal Army Medical Corps, who inquired into the circumstances of the case, reported that the dietary was extremely good, that those interned were supplied with the same food as the officers and troops, and that the supply was so liberal that those interned had more meat than could be consumed at the mid-day meal and made it into rissoles for supper; and whether, as a result of the inquiry, he has taken measures to curtail the issue of meat to civilians interned at the Palace?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Macpherson)

My inquiries into this matter are now completed, and I am informed that the statements ascribed to Major Foulerton were not made by him, nor by anyone else as far as is known. Prisoners of war are permitted to use the allotted ration as they think fit, and the fact that a few rissoles—not more than a dozen—were made from the meat ration of nearly 2,000 men for consumption at a meal other than the regular dinner does not indicate any excess in the ration.

Major NEWMAN

Is it not a fact that in this particular ease the German who died was a civilian and not a prisoner of war?

Mr. MACPHERSON

That does not affect the case at all.

Major NEWMAN

Is it not under the control of the Home Secretary?

Sir J. D. REES

As the prisoners of War are allowed to be autonomous in their own internal management and have some excellent cooks, may not the explanation be that they have this amount of meat over by saving the rissoles out of the rations?

Mr. HOPE

I think that very likely is the explanation.

Mr. CHANCELLOR

Is it not a fact that they select their own cooks from among their own number?

Mr. MACPHERSON

Yes.