§ Mr. Dyeasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that in June, 1942, when steps were being taken to requisition the battle training area near Thetford, definite assurances were given the local inhabitants by General Anderson, G.O.C. Eastern Command, that these people's homes would be kept watertight, that they would be able to visit them from time to time, and that at the end of the war they would be able to return to them; and will he now repeat those assurances.
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§ Mr. LawsonI am aware that, when the War Department requisitioned this area, they promised to do their best to preserve the houses, so that the people could go back to them after the war, and we have managed to accomplish this to a great extent. That undertaking related to land requisitioned for wartime training. As I informed the hon. Member on 30th October I am having the whole country surveyed to see what areas the Army should seek to acquire permanently for its peacetime training. In formulating my proposals I shall give full weight to the wartime history of this and other areas.