§ 8. Mr. Turtonasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has received any intimation from the Protecting Power of any charges preferred by the German Government or of any sentences awarded by German tribunals in respect of British prisoners of war who have escaped and been recaptured.
Sir J. GriģģThe Geneva Convention lays down that prisoners who try to escape shall be liable only to summary punishments, limited to 30 days' imprisonment, in respect of an attempt to escape. The detaining Power is not required to notify the protecting Power of such punishments. In the course of their attempt to escape prisoners may, however, commit offences against the laws of the detaining Power which render them liable to trial by a military court. In all such cases the detaining Power is required to notify the protecting Power. The German Government have in fact notified the protecting Power of 13 such trials, three of which are pending.