§ Mr. PETOasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether arrangements 1945W have now been made by which the charge demanded for food of ships' captains taken prisoners by German submarines interned in officers' camps in Germany will be defrayed by the appropriate Government Department; and whether, in cases where in the absence of this arrangement ships' captains have been removed to camps for soldiers or civilians, they have now been returned to officers' camps?
Mr. J. HOPEAssurances were given to the British delegates at The Hague by the German representatives that these officers would be returned to officers' camps, but I cannot say whether this step has yet been carried out. The arrangements for the necessary payments are in the hands of the Board of Trade, to whom I would suggest that any further questions on this subject should be addressed.
§ General Sir IVOR PHILIPPSasked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) whether he is aware that a number of British prisoners of war in Germany have received no bread since the 1st December, when the Central Committee took over the supply of bread; and when he expects to be in a position to assure the House that the authorised quantity of bread is being dispatched weekly to every prisoner of war in Germany?
Mr. HOPEIt is unfortunately impossible for the Central Committee to guarantee delivery of any parcel in Germany: at the same time I have no reason to suppose that the suggestion in the question is true of any large proportion of British prisoners. As regards the present dispatch of parcels, although it is impossible to give any absolute assurance that no mistakes are made, I am satisfied that the Central Committee are now doing all that can be reasonably expected of human industry and zeal.
§ Sir I. PHILIPPSasked whether the new Regulations for the supply of parcels to officer prisoners of war accidentally or intentionally omitted any question of the supply of bread to officers or whether it is intended that bread should be included in the 10-lb. parcels, three of which may be sent fortnightly to each officer; and, if so, why it is proposed to place officers on a lower scale in this respect than noncommissioned officers and men?
Mr. HOPEI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to paragraph 1 of the1946W Central Prisoners of War Committee's Memorandum on this subject of 1st July, in which it is stated that two packages of bread or biscuits will be sent every fortnight to each officer besides three packages of other foodstuffs.
§ Mr. HUME-WILLIAMSasked whether any inspections of Turkish camps where English prisoners are interned has been made since the American Ambassador left Constantinople, and, if so, with what result; and whether any suggestion has been made to Turkey for the holding of a conference similar to that which has just taken place at The Hague to formulate an agreement for the exchange of prisoners?
Mr. HOPEI regret to have to say that the last visits to camps in Turkey were those made by the International Committee of the Red Cross, and that the Netherlands Minister has hitherto been unsuccessful in obtaining permission to visit camps. We have asked the Red Cross to apply for permission to pay another visit. I am afraid that a meeting with Turkish delegates to discuss prisoner of war questions would not lead to any useful results.