§ 16. Sir KINGSLEY WOODasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make inquiries concerning the safety of some 20 girls who were attached to the Bible Churchmen's Girls' Orphanage, near Lungchow, which was recently looted by Communists; whether he will ascertain, in view of the safety of the occupants of the British Bible Churchmen's Hospital at Nanning, what is the present position there; and whether there has yet been any invasion by Soviet forces in this district?
Mr. A. HENDERSONI have already made inquiries, and from such information as I have been able to obtain it would seem that the girls in question, who are Chinese, have been released. There is a scarcity of news from Nanning where the hospital in question is situated, but according to the latest reports foreigners are not thought to be in danger there at present, though unsatisfactory conditions prevail in the province generally. There has been no invasion by Soviet forces. The nearest point in this district to Soviet territory is about 2,000 miles from the Soviet frontier.