§ Mr. MALCOLMasked the Treasurer of the Household how many British women and children are interned in the invaded provinces of France and Belgium; what efforts are now being made to secure their release; and why these prisoners were not returned at the same time as the French women and children, similarly interned, who are now being repatriated to France?
Mr. J. HOPEI am not aware of any British women and children interned in the occupied districts of France and Belgium. There is, however, a certain number of British women and children in the territory in question who have not hitherto been allowed to leave, but I am unable to state the exact number. We have made repeated representations with a view to obtaining permission for them to depart, and the United States representatives have made, and are still making, every effort to that end. I have no information of the repatriation to France of the French women and children referred to in the last part of the question. His Majesty's Ambassador at Paris is, however, being requested to ask the French Government to furnish His Majesty's Government with any information they can as to the present position of the French women and children who are resident in the occupied districts of France, or who have been deported from those districts