§ 40. Sir Waldron Smithersasked the Secretary of State for War if he has considered the details which have been sent to him concerning German prisoner of war camp administration; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ShinwellThe proposals submitted by the hon. Member would involve a change to civilian status for the general body of prisoners of war and I am not prepared to adopt them. A scheme of release to civilian status for a proportion of the prisoners employed in agriculture has been in operation since June and this scheme is to be extended shortly in accordance with the statement made on 27th October by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Turton).
§ Sir W. SmithersAssuming that the policy of His Majesty's Government is to wean these prisoners away from Nazism to the British way of life, will he give all the encouragement he can to German prisoners who show that they are yielding to treatment?
§ Mr. ShinwellI am doing what I can, in conjunction with my other right hon. colleagues, to try to make things easier for these people, but I am afraid we cannot go quite so far as some people wish.