§ 40. Mr. Stokesasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that at Camp No. 40, for prisoners of war, at Tunbridge, Kent, notice was recently posted advising the prisoners that they could write to and receive letters from anybody within the United Kingdom, except newspapers and Members of Parliament; and how this notice came to be posted, as it is contrary to his own instructions.
§ Mr. BellengerA War Office regulation states that prisoners of war may not write to Government Departments, newspapers, periodicals, private or public enterprises. A reproduction of this regulation translated into German has been posted as a notice in No. 40 Camp. I understand that a prisoner of war at this camp misinterpreted the notice as meaning that communication with Members of Parliament was forbidden. It has now been explained to him that this is not so.
§ Mr. StokesWill my right hon. Friend please make it clear in all prisoner-of-war camps that the announcement which he made before Christmas holds good, and that prisoners of war are entitled to write to people in this country, and to Members of Parliament? In a large number of cases they do not know it, and I am still having to pay a fivepenny surcharge on the letters.
§ Mr. BellengerMy hon. Friend, of course, has my sympathy, but I am afraid that if I gave further prominence to my reply—and I am quite willing to do so—he might have to pay a lot more.
§ Mr. StokesI do not mind that.