§ 8. Sir A. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information regarding British prisoners of war camps, Stalag IX B, where there is a large hospital, where no parcels except half a pound of chocolate per man had been received from the Red Cross up till 26th December, and where cigarettes, tea, tinned milk and beef extract are urgently asked for?
§ Mr. LawI am informed that Stalag IX B consists of a prisoners of war camp for other ranks, and two hospitals to which patients are sent from other camps. It appeared from a recent report by the Protecting Power that individual parcels were not being received at the hospitals. The attention of the International Red Cross has been drawn to this matter and arrangements made for the despatch of collective parcels direct to these hospitals.
§ 9. Sir William Davisonasked the Secretary of State for War for what reason the War Office have declined to allow Mrs. Ian Campbell, of Estoril, Portugal, to continue the arrangement she has made privately for the supply of food and clothing parcels to some hundreds of prisoners of war in Germany; and whether a similar intimation has been sent to the prisoners of war organisation in Budapest?
§ Mr. LawI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to my hon. Friend the Member for Denbigh (Sir H. Morris-Jones) on 5th December, of which I am sending him a copy. If Mrs. Campbell is willing that her parcels should be addressed to the Senior British Officer at Oflag VII C/H and not to individuals, the War Organisation of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John will bear the cost. The restriction on the provision of funds from the United Kingdom, and of the despatch of parcels to individuals, applies to all neutral European countries and to Turkey.
§ Sir W. DavisonIs my hon. Friend aware that Mrs. Campbell could probably get finance from America in order to continue her service of parcels, which is much smaller than that of the Red Cross, if some secretarial provision was made for her through the Red Cross Fund or the War Office?
§ Mr. LawI do not think that Mrs. Campbell's organisation, at any rate, on its past record, would be able to cope with the parcels in the quantities necessary for the purpose of the Red Cross. Even at the height of its activity, she was sending only about 200 pounds' weight of parcels per week, whereas the Red Cross was sending 200 tons' weight. As my hon. Friend will see, Mrs. Campbell's problem was a very different one from that of the Red Cross.
§ Sir W. DavisonSurely, every little helps, and most people wonder why even a small help should be refused.
§ Mr. LawIt was because small help was competitive with the greater help, and in some cases threw out the arrangements.
§ Sir A. KnoxIs it not true that Mrs. Campbell got the parcels through, and the Red Cross did not?
§ 10. Sir W. Davisonasked the Secretary of State for War whether he can now give the House information as to the actual arrival of Red Cross food parcels, and also of new uniforms and greatcoats, at the various prisoners of war camps in Germany, and in particular at Oflag VII C/H, at which camp scarcely any Red Cross parcels had been received by the beginning of December?
§ Mr. LawAccording to latest information I have, receipts have been obtained for 78,345 food parcels and 3,172 clothing parcels which have reached the prisoner of war camps in Germany, and of this number 8,431 and 1,129, respectively, were received in Oflag VII C/H. In addition, the receipt of a further 6i tons of bulk provisions has been acknowledged by this camp. I am unable to say how many uniforms and greatcoats were included in the clothing parcels received. Endeavours are being made to obtain information on this point through the International Red Cross.
§ 13. Sir A. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has yet received from the protecting Power, or from the International Red Cross, the dietary showing the food issued daily to British prisoners of war in Germany; and whether he will give this dietary, and state how it compares with the food issued daily to German prisoners of war in Britain or to alien internees in the Isle of Man?
§ Mr. LawWith my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a representative daily menu served to British prisoners of war in Germany which has been received through official channels. German prisoners of war in the United Kingdom receive rations at the current scale for British troops, with certain variations made at their request to suit their national taste. As regards alien internees in the Isle of Man, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given on Tuesday last by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department to my hon. Friend the Member for Plaistow (Mr. Thorne).
§ Mr. ShinwellIf the diet provided for German prisoners of war in this country is superior to the diet provided for British prisoners of war in Germany, why should we not broadcast the fact throughout the world?
§ Mr. LawWe are fulfilling our obligations under the Prisoners of War Convention, and in so far as the German Government are not fulfilling their obligations every pressure is being put upon them to do so.
§ Mr. ShinwellAre we making it known everywhere that the German Government do not fulfil their obligations to prisoners of war in that country and that we do, and ought not we to make it widely known?
§ Mr. LawMy right hon. and gallant Friend has stated more than once in this House that in his opinion the German Government are not fulfilling their obligations, and I imagine that the fact is widely known.
§ Sir A. KnoxHave you considered a threat of retaliation?
§ Sir Irving AlberyIs the diet issued to British prisoners of war in Germany on the same scale as that which is issued to German troops, which, I believe, is in the international agreement?
§ Mr. LawIt is in the International Convention, and, as I have said, my right hon. and gallant Friend has stated more than once that the provisions are not being fulfilled in all cases.
| Following is the representative Daily Menu of Food issued to British Prisoners of War in Germany. | |
| Morning: | Grams. |
| Coffee | 7 |
| Sugar | 15 |
| Honey … | 24 |
| Mid-day: | |
| Beef | 70 |
| Fresh beetroot | 350 |
| Potatoes | 1,000 |
| Flour | 10 |
| Salt | 15 |
| Evening: | |
| Coffee | 7 |
| Sugar | 15 |
| Bread | 300 |
| Fat | 25 |
§ 2. Mr. Parkerasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that many friends and relatives of prisoners of war have been unable to obtain the 750 "Monthly Review" of the International Red Cross, and whether he can see that supplies are made available?
§ Mr. LawI understand that the "Monthly Review" of the International Red Cross is published in French and is intended primarily for National Red Cross organisations rather than for the general public. Copies take about two months to reach this country from Switzerland, and I regret that I am not in a position to ensure a speedier arrival.