HL Deb 03 March 1981 vol 417 cc1316-7

2.38 p.m.

Baroness Vickers

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of the magnificent service given by many Poles in the Royal Air Force during the 1939–45 war, they will have an official inquiry into their present financial circumstances.

Lord Cullen of Ashbourne

My Lords, the gallant Poles who settled here after the 1939–1945 war are entitled as individuals to all social security benefits in the same way as are other United Kingdom residents; and no separate records are kept of them as a group.

Baroness Vickers

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. In view of the fact that 1 in 12 Spitfire pilots were Poles, in view also of the magnificent service they carried out for this country, and of the fact that a recent appeal to help them I gather was unsuccessful, I wonder whether my noble friend could look into any difficulties or special cases sent to him.

Lord Cullen of Ashbourne

My Lords, if there are any special cases I should like to hear of them. The Poles are entitled to all the social security benefits, pensions, war pensions, and so on, just like our own nationals. I do not think there is very much more that the Government can do. We all appreciate the magnificent work and service given by the Poles during the war, and I think we do everything that we can to help them.

Lord Wallace of Coslany

My Lords, can the noble Lord say how many Polish ex-Servicemen are in mental hospitals in this country? I have in mind a particular hospital where Dr. George Brown has done wonderful work for them.

Lord Cullen of Ashbourne

My Lords, I am sorry but I do not have the answer to that question. I shall write to the noble Lord if I can find the answer.

Lord Elwyn-Jones

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the Battle of Britain is listed among the battle honours of Polish officers at the war memorial in Warsaw and therefore it is appropriate, for that and other reasons, that we should give them every assistance consistent with our means and in relation to what is done for our own ex-Servicemen?

Lord Cullen of Ashbourne

My Lords, I agree with the noble and learned Lord.

Lord Gisborough

My Lords, can the noble Lord say whether Polish ex-airmen are able to take advantage of SSAFA as is the case with our own ex-Servicemen?

Lord Cullen of Ashbourne

My Lords, I am sorry but I do not know the answer to that question.

Lord Gore-Booth

My Lords, while it is not precisely relevant, do the Government bear in mind all the time that day after day our friends from Poland are a very special case in (shall we say?) world history and that should at least inform us even if it cannot in any special form affect our policies?

Lord Cullen of Ashbourne

My Lords, I do not think I can add to what I have said. I am entirely in agreement with the tributes to the magnificent service of the Poles in the last war. We do everything we can to help them. There is a home at Newton Abbot in Devonshire, which is run by my department, where 174 Poles are looked after. They are not able to assimilate into this country because of language difficulties and so on. Some of their dependants are there and some children are there. Normally, the Poles have managed to get jobs here in this country. They are entitled to the supplementary benefits and pensions available to our own nationals.