§ 31. Mr. McKinlayasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the terms of the agreement under which 787 officers and men were repatriated from Italy in March, 1943, and the terms of the document signed by such officers and men before they were exchanged?
Mr. AlexanderI would refer my right hon. Friend to the statement made to this House by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on 24th March last, in which he fully explained the circumstances leading to the agreement for the repatriation of these officers and men. The agreement reached with enemy Governments contained no special terms. The documents which were signed by such officers and men before they were exchanged, were discharge sheets containing a statement of pay received and an authorisation for the disposal of outstanding balances.
§ Mr. McKinlayIf the men involved were to make a statement that the document was a declaration that they would not light again against the Axis, would they be telling an untruth?
Mr. AlexanderI should be very surprised to hear of any such statement, because this was not a repatriation agreement within the scope of the Geneva Convention at all.
§ Mr. McKinlayI have had correspondence on this matter, and I must ask my right hon. Friend to give a categorical denial or otherwise. Did not the men involved in this repatriation sign a document saying that they would not be used against the Axis again?
Mr. Alexander: Ihave already given an answer that the documents they signed consisted only of discharge sheets, a statement of the pay they had received, and 1370 an authorisation for the disposal of all outstanding balances.
§ Mr. McKinlayI beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.