§ Mr. HUME-WILLIAMSasked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) whether all arrears of prisoners of war from Germany due for exchange under the existing agreement have now arrived in Holland; and whether any and, if so, what steps are being taken to negotiate 2180W for an extension of the agreement so as to now include soldiers, other than officers and non-commissioned officers, who have been prisoners of war for eighteen months?
Mr. J. HOPEAll the 400 British civilian prisoners who were eligible under The Hague Agreement for transfer to Holland for internment there have arrived in that country. As regards combatant prisoners, I am informed that the majority of our officers and non-commissioned officers who were captured up to the end of June, 1916, have now reached Holland. There are, however, some seventy officers, and, it is believed, 300 non-commissioned officers, captured up to that date, who have so far not been transferred. A list of the above-mentioned prisoners has already been forwarded to Germany, and a revised roll of names is at present in course of preparation. I should explain that the agreement works automatically, so that fresh numbers are continually becoming eligible on the ground of time. As regards the second part of the question, the proposal my hon. and learned Friend makes is one that has been so definitely rejected by the German Government, that it has not been thought of any use to resume negotiations on the point.