45. Mr. Vaneasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what approximate proportion of lectures to German prisoners of war in prisoner of war camp
§ Following is the reply:
§ The food rations allowed to German prisoners of war working on farms depend upon whether they are fed in a camp or billeted with the farmer. Where they are billeted with the farmer he is provided with food ration cards which entitle him to purchase rationed foods at the scale allowed for civilian farm workers.
§ When German prisoners of war are fed by the Army they receive the following daily rations:
§ in this country are given by British and émigréGerman lecturers, respectively.
§ The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. John Hynd)During the past three months out of a total of 222 lec- 227 turers about 100 were British and about 80 were émigré Germans: I regret that figures are not available for the numbers of lectures they respectively gave.
Mr. VaneIs the hon. Gentleman aware that lectures by British lecturers are much more appreciated by prisoners of war than those given byémigré Germans, and since the educational value of lectures by Englishmen is very much greater should they, therefore, not be encouraged?
§ Mr. HyndI was not aware of that fact, but I am aware of the fact that lectures by any competent lecturers on any subject which these people are discussing are appreciated, whether the lecturers are German or British, and in many cases the German émigré has something to offer.
§ Mr. Skeffington-LodgeIs my hon. Friend aware that the helpfulness of these lectures is vitiated by the stupidity of the treatment meted out to the prisoners of war by other Departments and in other directions?