§ 15. Mr. Derek Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for War on what grounds orders have been issued for the drafting of soldiers of B.A.O.R. to the Hartz Mountains for cutting timber for use in the British housing programme.
§ Mr. BellengerTimber is urgently needed for building houses in this country. Cut timber has been accumulating in German forests for lack of men and transport to move it away. In so far as they can be spared from their primary military tasks, troops are therefore helping to move this timber and to cut more. It has been explained to them that they are thereby helping to provide houses for civilians in this country, an object with which I understand they have some sympathy.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithDoes the right hon. Gentleman appreciate, that while it is true that the soldiers have much sympathy with the object of building houses in this country, they feel it is quite wrong that demobilisation should perhaps be delayed by reason of this work being done; and would it not be possible to achieve a compromise whereby the Army provides the necessary transport and German civilians provide the necessary labour, on a proper remunerative basis?
§ Mr. BellengerI think the hon. Gentleman has a somewhat vivid imagination. This does not delay demobilisation in Germany.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithBut the men think it does.
§ Air-Commodore HarveyIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is so much timber lying at Hamburg that there is insufficient shipping to bring it over to this country? What is the point of using British troops to cut timber if we cannot get it away?
§ Mr. BellengerMost of the troops that are at the moment engaged on this task are engaged in clearing the timber to this country.
§ Major BramallIs my right hon. Friend aware that the suggestion of the hon. 959 Gentleman the Member for Hertford (Mr. Walker-Smith) is quite impracticable, owing to the great shortage of labour in Germany?
§ Mr. StokesWhy not use the prisoners?