§ 26. Colonel Gomme-Duncanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland when it is proposed to close down the camp for displaced persons at Balhary, Perthshire; whether he is aware of the resentment and alarm occasioned locally by the behaviour of some of the inmates of this camp; and why appropriate disciplinary powers are not given to the official in charge.
§ Mr. WoodburnIn view of the continuing need of accommodation for the agricultural workers who are hired out to farmers in the district, I cannot give any indication at present as to when it may be possible to close this camp. I have made local inquiry and find no evidence at all of resentment and alarm having been caused locally by the behaviour of the men who live in the camp.
§ Colonel Gomme-DuncanIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that his information is totally incorrect, and that women and girls in that neighbourhood will not go along that road after dark when these people are going back? Will he please look into it, because it is very serious? Does he also realise that the labour itself is thoroughly unsatisfactory?
§ Mr. WoodburnWe have consulted the Provost of Alyth, the police constable, and some of the ministers of the church. Far from making the same complaints as the hon. and gallant Gentleman, they tend to resent the suggestion that these men have behaved improperly and, therefore, the source of information of the hon. and gallant Gentleman must be quite different. If he will let me know the source of that information, I may be able to check it, because the people in the district evidently have not heard of it.
§ Colonel Gomme-DuncanWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of the question, "why appropriate disciplinary powers are not given to the official in charge," because they are nil?
§ Mr. WoodburnThere is no necessity, curiously enough, in the camp for any discipline such as the Question refers to. They naturally have ordinary discipline with regard to work.