§ 64. Mr. Cooperasked the Minister of Agriculture what are the latest figures for prisoners of war still remaining in this country who are employed in industry and agriculture; and what steps are now being taken to replace the labour force now working on the land by the time all prisoners of war are returned to Germany.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsI am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War that the number of prisoners of war employed in Great Britain at the end of April was 168,379, of whom 118,747 were employed in agriculture and 49,632 in industry. For an account of the measures which the Government are taking to assist and supplement the recruitment of labour by the industry itself, I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made on the subject in the course of the Debate on the Distribution of Manpower on 19th March last.