§ 27. Sir John Mellorasked the Secretary of State for War why Italian prisoners of war are permitted to overcrowd omnibuses and the cinema at Coleshill, Warwickshire, so as frequently to exclude residents from seats; and whether he will abate this nuisance.
§ Sir J. GriggItalian prisoners of war are forbidden to use public omnibuses in off-duty periods and camp police patrol the area to prevent any infringement of this rule. I am inquiring whether this rule has recently been broken. About 60 Italian co-operators at a time visit the cinema at Coleshill. The number allowed is fixed by the camp commandant in consultation with the manager of the cinema.
§ Sir J. MellorWhy should these Italians be pampered in this way before they have worked their passage? Why should not Coleshill be put out of bounds to the Italians?
§ Sir J. GriggI understand that they are working their passage and that access to certain public conveniences in this country was one of the concomitants of working their passage.
Mr. Graham WhiteI should like to ask whether another aspect of this matter has been brought to the Minister's notice, which is that non-collaborators are now jeering at those who have joined us and are saying: "This is what you get"?
§ Sir J. GriggI am well aware that whatever the War Office does is always wrong. For many months we were badgered to enable these Italians to do more to assist the war effort. As soon as we take steps for that to happen, we are badgered for allowing them to have rather better than prisoner-of-war treatment.
§ 28. Mr. Edmund Harveyasked the Secretary of State for War whether adequate facilities are now given for the supply of non-Nazi German literature to German prisoners of war; and why permission has been refused to a request to present copies of talks by Thomas Mann, addressed by him from America by radio to listeners in Germany.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Information (Mr. Thurtle)I have been asked to reply. Suitable non-Nazi German literature is being supplied 15 to German prisoners of war. There is no trace of the receipt of any request to present copies of talks by Thomas Mann to prisoner-of-war camps.
§ Mr. John DugdaleAre there facilities for these men to read such literature; and are steps taken to see that they are not prevented from doing so, by their N.C.O.'s, many of whom are Nazis?
§ Mr. HarveyWill there be any objection to the works of Thomas Mann being supplied to prisoners of war?
§ Mr. ThurtleThat is hypothetical. When we receive such requests we will consider them.