§ 25. Mr. PETOasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that parcels sent in as long ago as July last for conveyance to officer prisoners of war in Turkey by the exchange ship were refused by the military forwarding officer at Avonmouth Docks on the 23rd October immediately prior to the departure of the last steamer which could possibly catch the exchange ship; whether he can say why these parcels could not have been examined in the intervening three months to enable any error in packing to be rectified; and whether arrangements can now be made for all these refused packages to be conveyed by some other route to catch the exchange ship?
§ Mr. HOPE (Lord of the Treasury)I am informed that the incident in question appears to have arisen owing to a delay in issuing instructions, which is much regretted; but it does not seem that blame is to be attached to the forwarding officer. Under the arrangements for carrying out the armistice it may be hoped that the prisoners will be released long before fresh parcels could reach them.