§ Colonel Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will inform the House what is the situation as regard Allied civilian prisoners of war, European and Asiatic, at present in Sumatra; and when they are going to be released and returned to their homes.
§ Mr. LawsonI have ascertained that rather more than 3,500 Allied prisoners of war and internees were recovered in Sumatra: all except 131 Chinese have been evacuated. This does not include local Dutch inhabitants of the island. I regret I have no information about these.