HC Deb 21 August 1945 vol 413 cc437-8
26. Lieut.-Colonel Alan Dower

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the daily ration for prisoners of war of sugar, margarine, cheese and preserves.

Mr. Lawson

I will, with permission, circulate the answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Lieut.-Colonel Dower

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the rations given to these prisoners of war are greater than those given to British civilians who are not engaged on harvesting?

Mr. Lawson

I have made particular inquiries upon that point, as I had also heard it before I arrived in office, but I am told that this scale is considerably lower than that of the British agricultural worker.

Mr. Godfrey Nicholson

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the farming community generally think that the mid-day meal given to these prisoners is hardly enough to enable them to do their work properly?

Lieut.-Colonel Dower

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his reply was not a reply to my Question? Is he aware that the rations are considerably more than those of British civilians not engaged on harvesting?

Mr. Lawson

I cannot say about that, but I do know that there are differences of opinion in the country about the matter.

Mr. R. S. Hudson

Is my right hon. Friend aware that British civilians engaged on this particularly arduous and essential work are entitled to a similar increase of rations?

Mr. George Griffiths

Can the Minister tell us how long this rationing has been going on? Was it not going on before we came into office?

Following is the answer:

The current daily scales for prisoners of war generally are as under:

oz.
Sugar … … … 6/7
Margarine … … … 4/7
Cheese … … … 2/7
Preserves … … … 8/7

Exceptionally, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture, prisoners of war employed for very long hours on harvest work are provided with additional quantities of these foodstuffs, so as to secure the maximum output in this vital work. The daily scales for prisoners of war harvesters are as follow:

oz.
Sugar … … … 1 2/7
Margarine … … … 1
Cheese … … … 3/7
Preserves … … … 5/7

This higher scale is considerably lower than that of British agricultural workers.