§ 23. Brigadier Raynerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many wives and children of members of the Polish Resettlement Corps are awaiting promised passages to this country from India, East Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere; and when they are likely to get them.
§ 27. Mr. Stokesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps are being taken to reunite men of the Polish Armed Forces with their Polish dependants from the U.S.A., Africa, India, Germany and elsewhere overseas.
§ Mr. MayhewAs the answer is rather long and contains a number of figures, I propose, with the hon. Members' permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Brigadier RaynerWill the hon. Gentleman admit that in this connection we have broken yet another promise to our Polish friends; and will he do everything possible within his power to re-unite these families as soon as possible?
§ Mr. MayhewNo, Sir, I do not admit at all that we have broken any promise. We maintain, and have maintained, the desirability of re-uniting these families, and will do all we can to bring it about. It is a matter of transport and accommodation.
§ Following is the answer;
§ Approval has now been given for the War Office to make arrangements to bring to the United Kingdom, both from the Middle East and from India, the immediate relatives of members of the Polish Resettlement Corps who are now in this country. In addition, the wives and children under 21 of members of the Resettlement Corps will as a first step be brought here from East and Central Africa and from Southern Rhodesia.
§ Approximate figures of wives and children of members of the Resettlement Corps are belived to be:
- India—780 wives and 1,240 children.
- East Africa—5,000 wives and children.
- Middle East—2,100 wives and 2,000 children.
§ No promises as regards passages have been made. I must emphasise that the actual movement of these persons will depend on the availability of suitable transport and accommodation here. Already, however, an advance party of 150 wives and children have set sail from Port Said. About 700 of the Polish dependants in Germany who are eligible have reached this country. The remainder will be brought here as soon as possible.
§ A number of Polish service men have been repatriated to the U.S.A. to rejoin their families there. Movement between the U.S.A. and the United Kingdom is subject to the normal immigration laws of the two countries. His Majesty's Government fully recognise the desirability of re-uniting Polish families, whether here or in Poland or elsewhere overseas, and are making constant efforts to this end.