§ Sir W. Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the fact that no provision is made between the Great Powers under the Geneva Convention, or otherwise, with regard to the treatment of civilian women prisoners of war who may be arrested in occupied countries and as to the right of visitation by the International Red Cross; and whether steps will be taken to rectify this omission, with a view to protecting such women prisoners and preventing treatment like that recently suffered by women and children with British passports at the camp at Besancon in Occupied France?
§ Mr. LawMy hon. Friend is under a misapprehension. The omission to which he calls attention was rectified when, by1078W agreement reached soon after war broke out with Germany, His Majesty's Government and the German Government each undertook to apply generally to all interned civilians, irrespective of sex, the provisions of the 1929 Prisoners of War Convention in so far as these are applicable to civilians. The British women and children who were interned at Besancon were covered by the German Government's undertaking.