§ LORD MARLEYMy Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Wedgwood, I beg to ask the questions standing on the Paper in his name.
§ [The questions were as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether arrangements have been made to free the International Brigadiers and the Spanish Republicans in Africa; whether any and if so what report on the conditions of the incarceration and compulsory labour of these men has yet been received.
§ To ask His Majesty's Government what co-operation with the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A. for the release of the International Brigade and the Spanish Republicans has been so far attempted.]
THE LORD PRIVY SEAL VISCOUNT CRANBORNE) (Lord Cecil)My Lords, if the noble Lord will allow me I think will be convenient to answer both the questions together. As my right honourable friend, the Foreign Secretary, has already stated in another place, His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have been in close consultation with the United States Government concerning the situation of former International Brigade and Spanish Republican refugees interned in North Africa. Both Governments have lost no opportunity of impressing upon the French authorities in North Africa the importance which they attach to the early release of these and all other persons of whatever nationality detained in North Africa on account of their sympathies with the Allied cause. It is known that many of these political prisoners have already been released. There must, however, inevitably be a number of doubtful cases. In order to investigate these, a Mixed Commission has been set up under the joint chairmanship of the British and United States Consuls-General at Algiers.
I regret that my right honourable friend is still without detailed information con- 830 cerning the situation of many of the former members of the International Brigade and Spanish Republican refugees. A certain number of former members of the International Brigade V. ho have also Allied nationality will, it is hoped, shortly be released. There are, for instance, more than a hundred Soviet citizens, many of them former members of the International Brigade, who will be released and will return to their own country so soon as transport can be arranged for them. His Majesty's Government are in touch with the Soviet Government on this question. As regards other refugees in these categories, the mixed Commission is well aware of the necessity for finding a satisfactory solution of this particular problem at the earliest possible moment and one of its first tasks will be to investigate the situation of these people. In the meantime one of the terms of reference of the Commission is to obtain for refugees before their release as good living conditions as possible.
§ LORD MARLEYI beg be, to thank the noble Viscount for his very full reply.