HC Deb 12 March 1942 vol 378 cc1197-8
53. Mr. Mander

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies why, in view of the circumstances in which the steamship "Struma" with 750 Jewish men, women and children refugees from Rumania was sunk in the Black Sea, these victims of persecution were refused permission to enter Palestine?

Mr. Harold Macmillan

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on this subject to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson) on 11th March, to which I have nothing to add.

Mr. Mander

Does not my hon. Friend think it was a very cruel thing that these persons should be sent to almost certain torture and death without any alternative arrangements being made, and could not anything have been done for the children in the six weeks that were available?

Mr. Macmillan

If my hon. Friend will read my reply of yesterday, he will see that it was a carefully balanced statement, and I would ask him not to press me to add anything to it at this moment?

Mr. Mander

Does not this incident show that the shameful MacDonald White Paper should now be torn up?