§ 11. Professor Savoryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that the number of 1654 German refugees in South Schleswig is almost as great as that of the native population, he will now implement the assurance given by the British representatives at the conference held with the Danish delegation between 18th and 23rd October, that he would pursue active investigations into the possibility of securing the equitable distribution of refugees in Germany.
§ Mr. BevinThat assurance is already being implemented. The Military Governors of the three Western zones recently agreed to set up a tripartite committee to study the redistribution of refugees throughout Western Germany. They held their first meeting on 17th January.
§ Professor SavoryHas it been pointed out to them that in certain portions of the American zone the number of refugees is only 15 to 16 per cent., and that in certain portions of the French zone it is only 3 to 7 per cent.; and why should Schleswig-Holstein have to undertake a burden of 90 per cent. of refugees who have swamped the native Danish population?
§ Mr. BevinThere is much less damage there than there is in other parts. I think that this committee is at work trying to redistribute the refugees.
§ 12. Professor Savoryasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what decision he has now come to with regard to the administrative separation of South Schleswig from Holstein, in order that better consideration may be given of the needs of the native Danish population of South Schleswig, as distinct from the German inhabitants of Holstein.
§ Mr. BevinThe question of administrative separation has been raised on a number of occasions in the past three years. It has already been made clear to the Danish authorities and to others interested that, in the view of His Majesty's Government, this expedient is neither advisable nor practicable in present circumstances. There is no Danish population of South Schleswig, and I have no reason to believe that administrative separation is essential to safeguard the rights of the Danish-minded German population.
§ Professor SavoryIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Royal Danish 1655 Government and the four Danish parties are unanimous in condemning this system, and that the whole German administration in Kiel is out of sympathy with these Danish people in Schleswig? Schleswig can no more be administered from Kiel than Ulster can from Dublin.