HC Deb 27 April 1954 vol 526 cc1441-2
6. Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

asked the Secretary of State for War how many British soldiers have during the past year served all or part of their sentences at the Wahnerheide detention barracks, Germany.

Mr. J. R. H. Hutchison

Twenty-two.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Can the hon. Gentleman give an assurance that while the court of inquiry is going into the deplorable state of affairs that exists at Wahnerheide no British Army personnel will be incarcerated in this place, because the Army have another military corrective establishment at Bielefeld?

Mr. Hutchison

I cannot go quite as far as the hon. and gallant Gentleman asked me to do. However, only one soldier is there at present, and he is being withdrawn. We do not normally use this Royal Air Force Establishment for our own military personnel.

10. Mr. Sorensen

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will cause to be made a general investigation into the conditions of British military penal establishments in Germany in order that the treatment of those serving sentences shall be in accordance with the most enlightened penal principles.

Mr. J. R. H. Hutchison

There is only one Army corrective establishment in Germany, and my right hon. Friend has no reason to think that any special inquiry into its administration is necessary.

Mr. Sorensen

As there have been one or two disturbing reports, does not the hon. Gentleman think that the confidence of the public would be increased if some kind of inquiry of this nature were made?

Mr. Hutchison

I believe that the hon. Gentleman is thinking of another disturbance to public opinion which is already the subject of a court of inquiry under my noble Friend the Secretary of State for Air. An inquiry was held not very long ago under the Oliver Committee, which made certain recommendations, and all of these have been carried out and there have been no complaints about this Army establishment.

Mr. Anthony Greenwood

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the prominent British citizens who interceded on behalf of the German war criminals at Spandau have also interceded on behalf of these British troops?