HC Deb 16 March 1944 vol 398 cc399-400
54. Sir William Davison

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the hardships being endured by the British subjects in the Channel Islands, who suffer from insufficient food, fuel and clothing; whether arrangements can be made for Red Cross parcels to be sent to the Channel Islands through the International Red Cross; and will representations be made to the International Red Cross with a view to the amelioration of the hardships now being suffered by residents there.

The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Peake)

My hon. Friend has been good enough to send my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary some particulars which have been supplied to him about an individual case, but collation of the information which has reached the Home Office from numerous sources does not show that the statement given to my hon. Friend is typical of conditions in the Channel Islands. On the question of what can be done to ameliorate the position, I cannot for the present add anything to the reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for the Combined English Universities (Mr. E. Harvey) on 2nd March.

Sir W. Davison

Would my right hon. Friend explain how it is that parcels cannot be sent direct by the International Red Cross to people in the Channel Islands, when parcels which are sent to deportees from the Channel Islands in German concentration camps are being forwarded from there, with the consent of the German authorities, to the Channel Islands, and are very gratefully received?

Mr. Peake

Yes, sir, I could explain that, but I could hardly do so within the limits of a Parliamentary question and answer. I would ask my hon. Friend to have a word with me about it afterwards.

Sir W. Davison

I certainly will, but will some steps be taken with the Inter- national Red Cross to see if some of these parcels cannot be sent direct to these unfortunate people, many of whom are dependent largely for food on carrots and turnips boiled in sea water because there is no salt?

Mr. Peake

We all have the greatest sympathy with the hardships these people are suffering, but I would direct my hon. Friend, on the general question—and it is a broad one—to refer to the speech of the Minister of Economic Warfare made in another place yesterday.

Mr. Driberg

Could the Home Secretary consult with the Postmaster-General with a view to making representations to the Portuguese authorities asking them to facilitate the transmission of parcels?

Mr. Peake

If the hon. Member refers to the speech of the Minister of Economic Warfare, he will see that that matter has been taken up.