§ 52. Flight-Lieutenant Haireasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Poles, how many Germans expelled from Poland and how many non-German displaced persons, respectively, there are in the British zone in Germany.
§ Mr. J. HyndThere are some 326,000 Polish displaced persons in the British zone of Germany. The movement of German nationals from Poland to the British zone has only just commenced; the only figure available is that some 4,300 have arrived in Schleswig Holstein. In addition to the Polish displaced persons there are approximately 119,000 other non-German displaced persons in the British zone.
§ Flight-Lieutenant HaireIn view of the serious food situation in our zone in Germany, will the hon. Gentleman say what progress is being made to restore those displaced persons to their homeland, and also whether the expulsion of Germans from Poland can temporarily be suspended?
§ Mr. HyndThe progress has been very considerable. I have not figures available, but considerably over 1,500,000 have been repatriated already, and the progress, of 1086 course, must slow down as we are coming to what is regarded as the hard core. In regard to the second part of the supplementary question, I think the answer has been given already in reply to an hon. Member on the other side.
§ Mr. StokesIn reference to my hon. Friend's remark that these expulsions are continuing, may I ask if he has read the outrageous reports of what is going on? Will he make representations in the proper quarters to see that the expulsions are carried out humanely, or else stopped?
§ Mr. HyndI have no knowledge of the outrages to which the hon. Gentleman refers, but I can give him the fullest assurance that the conditions under which these expulsions are carried out, and the reception so far as the British zone in Germany is concerned, are being rigidly adhered to.
Vice-Admiral TaylorCan the hon. Gentleman say how many of the Poles had been repatriated to Poland?