HC Deb 26 June 1916 vol 83 cc555-7W
Mr. MALCOLM

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can now say whether the privilege of being interned in Switzerland has been extended to British civilians imprisoned in Germany; and, if not, whether he will endeavour to secure such an extension?

Sir E. GREY

The answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's question is in the negative; the transfer of British civilians to Switzerland is under consideration, but presents considerable difficulties. We believe that the lot of the civilian prisoners at Ruhleben can only be effectually alleviated by adequate measures of exchange, and we have made proposals to this effect to the German Government.

Mr. MALCOLM

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received from Mr. Justice Younger's Committee any reports other than that referring to Wittenberg; and, if so, whether he will consent to publish them?

Sir E. GREY

The reply to my hon. Friend's question is in the affirmative. I am in communication with the Committee with regard to the publication of further reports.

Mr. MALCOLM

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many reports have been received since 31st March from the American Embassy in Berlin dealing with British prisoner camps in Germany; and how soon he expects to be able to publish them?

Sir E. GREY

Thirty-three reports on prisoners' camps in Germany have been received since the 31st March last; we propose in future to lay such reports before Parliament every three months. The next White Paper will be laid as soon as possible after the end of this quarter.

Mr. MALCOLM

asked what are the functions of the Prisoners of War Help Committee and of the Ruhleben Committee; and whether His Majesty's Government have received from these any reports of their activities which can be made public?

Sir E. GREY

The Prisoners of War Help Committee was formed by the War Office to co-ordinate the efforts of the numerous prisoners' aid societies. The Ruhleben Sub-Committee was formed to ascertain the needs of the civilians at Ruhleben and to afford them assistance. We understand that these committees have not drawn up any general reports on their activities.

Mr. MALCOLM

asked why so few British civilian prisoners are now being repatriated from Germany; whether the exchanges represent equal proportions of the total number of prisoners interned in each country; and whether the standard of military unfitness qualifying for repatriation is identical in Germany and Great Britain?

Sir E. GREY

In the absence of an official explanation from the German Government regarding their failure to repatriate the proper number of British civilians passed as unfit for military service, explanations of their action can only be a matter of conjecture. On the 7th instant we asked the United States Ambassador to draw the attention of the German Government to the fact that in the four months, February to May, we had repatriated 375 unfit German civilians and had received back twenty-two unfit British civilians. On the basis of the figures supplied to the hon. Member on 23rd March last showing the numbers of British civilians interned in Germany and of German civilians interned in the United Kingdom respectively, about 1½ per cent, of the Germans were repatriated as against about ½ per cent, of the British during the period in question. In other words, the proportion of Germans repatriated was three times greater than the proportion of British subjects repatriated.

With regard to the last part of the hon. Member's question, the Agreement provides that British and German civilians who are found to be unfit for military service shall be repatriated, but no schedule of disabilities was laid down.