§ 22. Lieut.-Colonel Price-Whiteasked the Minister of War Transport if he will give the numbers of United Kingdom Service personnel and Italian prisoner-of-war personnel who were repatriated from East Africa by the "Capetown Castle" and "Caernarvon Castle" that left Mombasa on 9th October and 21st November, respectively; and if, on those dates, he had notice of United Kingdom Services personnel eligible for repatriation who were not embarked owing to lack of accommodation on the transports named.
§ Mr. BarnesAt the dates in question these two ships were engaged on the repatriation of South African troops. They were not en route to the United Kingdom, but to the Middle East. I am forwarding to the hon. and gallant Member a more comprehensive report.
§ Lieut.-Colonel Price-WhiteMight I ask for an assurance that in any case 1885 Italian prisoners of war shall not be given priority over United Kingdom personnel in repatriation? Should not Italian shipping be utilised, provided there is Italian shipping there?
§ Mr. BarnesWhilst, of course, having every sympathy with that view, I am afraid I cannot give such an assurance as these matters are usually arranged in connection with the military authorities, sometimes for other reasons, but, as a general rule, the view of the hon. and gallant Member applies.