§ 31. Mr. Skeffington-Lodgeasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the continuing redistribution of prisoners of war personnel between one camp and another, he will now grant to prisoners the facility of travelling more than five miles from their holding base so as to enable them to maintain, where possible, 'the civilian contacts they have already established.
§ Mr. ShinwellNo, Sir; this would not be practicable. The movement of prisoners of war are due to the varying needs of the labour situation and sometimes a prisoner of war has to be moved to a place remote from where he was before. There must be one rule applying to all working prisoners of war and under existing circumstances it would be unreasonable to give facilities for long distance travel to prisoners of war.
§ Mr. SorensenIs the Minister aware that some of these camps are situated 1520 much more than five miles from a fair-sized town, and that therefore prisoners of war in those camps are at a disadvantage compared with those who are adjacent to some city?
§ Mr. ShinwellI do not know of any such camps. I will look into that.