§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Home Secretary whether he has taken any and, if so, what steps to carry out the arrangement arrived at in the Debate in this House on the 17th December last, that no male German enemy alien should be allowed to remain uninterned except for definitely national as opposed to personal reasons, subject to the proviso that marriage to an English woman and the possession of sons in our Army should be considered a national reason?
§ Sir G. CAVEI would refer the hon. Member to my answer to his question on the 30th January last. In the Debate on the 17th December I explained the principles on which I had acted with regard to the internment or repatriation of alien enemies, and since that date constant vigilance has been exercised in the application of these principles.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked how many interned alien enemies have been removed from this country since the 1st January, 1917; and what are the good reasons for which any male prisoner is retained here?
§ Sir G. CAVEAbout 3,200 German and Austrian prisoners of war have been either repatriated to Germany or sent for internment in Holland since the 1st January, 1917. About 1,000 more are waiting their turn for removal. The great majority of the remainder are retained in this country because they are men of military age and fit for service in the enemy forces.