§ 17. Mr. Stokesasked the Secretary of State for War whether priority will be given in the repatriation scheme for German prisoners of war in this country to those whose families resided in the Sudetenland and who have now been expelled to Western Germany, so that the expelled women and children may have the help of their breadwinners before the winter.
§ Mr. BellengerThe repatriation scheme allows for a monthly quota of 500 compassionate cases who will be selected by the Control Commission authorities in Germany. The persons to whom my hon. Friend refers should, therefore, apply to the local Military Government official for registration as compassionate cases.
§ Mr. StokesMay I ask my right hon. Friend what steps he is taking to make this known to the persons concerned; whether he is aware that literally tens of thousands of people have been turned out of their homeland under the iniquities of Potsdam without anybody looking after them; and that they are now milling about in the British zone without their breadwinners? Cannot he do something about it?
§ Mr. BellengerI am prepared to help in whatever way I can. I should think this would be a matter primarily for my hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
§ Mr. StokesI will try him then.
§ Dr. Barnett StrossIs the Minister aware that the Government of Czechoslovakia itself takes every precaution to prevent families being separated in this way; and that even communities are kept together, and S.S. men have their sentences remitted in order to be allowed to join their families?
§ Mr. StokesFurther to that supplementary question, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he is aware that until very recently quite the contrary was the case; that men are being kept back and employed in slave camps under slave conditions?