HC Deb 11 March 1947 vol 434 cc1124-5
38. Mr. King

asked -the Secretary of State for War if he will now permit British persons who invite prisoners of war to their homes to take them to those homes by means of public transport in cases where the home is some miles distant from the camp.

Mr. Bellenger

It is the policy of His Majesty's Government that German prisoners of war in this country should not be allowed to use public transport.

Mr. King

Is the Secretary of State aware that most of these camps are deep in the country, and that the present practice, which is necessary, of hiring cars is a deplorable waste of petrol, motor cars, and time?

Mr. Bellenger

No, Sir. There are very varied facilities. We do not want to overload public transport with German prisoners of war. That may cause some of the good will which is now being displayed by the British public towards them to disappear.

Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

Is my right hon. Friend award that a large part of the public would welcome conferring on these men Italian collaborator status as soon as possible?

Mr. M. Lindsay

Does the right hon. Gentleman not think it is high time that a very much more enlightened and generous policy was adopted towards these prisoners of war, to persuade them to remain in this country while we are so short of labour?

Mr. Bellenger

I think that the House is generally aware that we have been relaxing the restrictions on the prisoners of war. But we can do that only gradually until we see what the effect is on the British public.

Mr. King

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the hours at which the buses are required are not the peak hours, but hours at which the buses very often are empty?