§ 41. Col. Lord HENRY CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) whether the Government has decided to make fresh proposals to the Turkish and Bulgarian Governments for a complete exchange of prisoners?
Mr. HOPEThe British delegates who are now at The Hague for the purpose of negotiating with German representatives on the subject of prisoners of war have been instructed to communicate with the Bulgarian representative at that capital, who is understood to be familiar with the subject, with a view to laying the basis of a fresh agreement with the Bulgarian Government for the repatriation of British and Bulgarian prisoners of war on a larger scale. As my Noble Friend is aware, the agreement concluded with Turkey in December last has hardly entered into operation. Nevertheless His Majesty's Government have under consideration the supplementing of it by a wider agreement. The invalid prisoners to whom the present agreement applies would, in any case, have the first claim, so that time is not being lost.