56. Major NEWMANasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that returned prisoners of war are now forbidden to give interviews to the Press or to answer questions as to their treatment, any official interviews the returned prisoners and learns from him details of the treatment he received while in enemy hands; and can the. House expect in the near future a comprehensive statement from the Government as to the treatment which our sailors, soldiers, and civilians have met with during their period of captivity?
§ Mr. JAMES HOPE (Lord of the Treasury)A specially constituted body—the Government Committee, of which Sir Robert Younger is the chairman—has long existed for the precise purpose mentioned. This Committee examines prisoners on their arrival in England unless their depositions have already been taken in a neutral country. A number of Reports have been published, a number more are in course of preparation, and still more are contemplated, though an absolutely complete and final Report will be a work of great magnitude, and cannot, of course, be obtained until all our prisoners are eligible for examination. The Committee have been steadily preparing a mass of valuable evidence for this purpose.
Major NEWMANWould it not be possible to present an interim Report on the treatment of prisoners, seeing that the War may continue for some time?
§ Mr. HOPEThat is exactly what I have said. There have been interim Reports, and more are being prepared.