§ 36. Mr. Digbyasked the Secretary of State for War why German prisoners of war working on the land are not issued with ground sheets or gas capes so that they can continue work during rain like other landworkers.
§ The Secretary of State for War (Mr. Bellenger)The supply of ground sheets and gas capes is insufficient to provide prisoners of war with them. Prisoners of war have, in any case, greatcoats, and in each Command there is held a pool of protective clothing which may be issued to men engaged in special tasks which make its use necessary.
Mr. DigyIs the Secretary of State aware that in my constituency these men are discontinuing work during rain; that that is most unsatisfactory for the farmers who pay for their services, and that a large number of gas capes have recently been disposed of as Government surplus stock?
§ Mr. BellengerSome may have been, having been declared surplus, probably, by the Service Departments; but not a large number, as far as I know. I have consulted my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture to see if we could help to alleviate the situation, but I am afraid I cannot help any more.
§ Major Cecil PooleIs my right hon. Friend aware that there are still many British agricultural workers who cannot get these capes? Would it not be much better to look after our own agricultural workers before we worry about the prisoners of war?
§ Mr. DribergIs my right hon. Friend await that the prisoners at Camp 18, which is an officers' camp, are, in fact, issued with gas capes? If it is possible to issue them at one camp, why not issue them at others, so far as the supplies go?
§ Mr. BellengerAs I have said in my answer, there is a pool of protective clothing held in each Command. That probably accounts for those prisoners having gas capes.
§ Air-Commodore HarveyWill the right hon. Gentleman have a search made of the maintenance units in order to see what supplies exist and then sort them out?
§ Mr. BellengerYes, Sir, I am quite prepared to scrape together what I can.