§ 30. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Cookasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of numbers of properties in Sheringham, Norfolk, being held under requisition, though unoccupied, to the detriment of the urban district council being able to accommodate their staff; and if he will derequisition them.
§ Sir J. GriggThe hon. Member has forwarded me a list of the houses to which he is referring. The cases are being investigated and I will communicate with him.
§ Rear-Admiral BeamishIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that exactly the same situation is noticeable in many other 609 districts, particularly with regard to school premises, and would it not be possible to make some statement of general policy about the requisitioning of property?
§ Sir J. GriggI will consider that, but the explanation of the apparent anomaly here is that a certain amount of accommodation has to be held against future liabilities. One of the major future liabilities is the machinery of release of men at the end of the German war; and another is the housing of very large numbers of returned prisoners of war until they have been examined as to their medical condition and the future treatment they require.