§ Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the number of individual owners who have replied to the communication addressed to them by the Board of Trade suggesting that they should now consider whether they could make some payment to officers and men taken prisoner by the enemy from their ships, in view of the fact that their earning power is non-existent in internment; also whether he will give information as to the nature of the individual replies received?
§ Mr. WARDLESixty-two replies have so far been received from owners, and in fifty-three cases cither full wages, or partial wages, or some other form of ex gratia payment is given.
§ Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the officers and men of merchant ships who have been in terned at the Ruhleben camp since the beginning of the. War have remained in captivity owing to His Majesty's Govern- 402 ment having necessarily insisted that they should be regarded by the German Government as civilian prisoners; whether His Majesty's Government are aware that the House of Lords have decided that these seafarers are not entitled to pay whilst interned; and whether, in addition to the allowances at present made for the maintenance of the dependants of these prisoners in this country, His Majesty's Government will take steps ensuring that on the release of these prisoners the balance of pay which otherwise they would have earned may be paid to them?
§ Mr. WARDLEI do not think the statement in the first part of the question is correct, as, so far as I am aware, the German Government have not maintained that the Merchant Service officers and seamen at Ruhleben were combatants. I am aware of the decision to which the hon. Member refers in the second part of the question. I do not think it would be reasonable to compel all owners to pay wages during the whole period of internment.
§ Mr. PETOWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the case of the wives and children of those men who have been interned, in some cases for over four years, in those cases where the owners do not pay wages; and will the Government take any action in the matter?
§ Mr. WARDLEIf the hon. Member will give me particulars of those cases, I shall be glad to make inquiries.