§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has any information as to the number of British prisoners of war working in salt or coal mines in Germany, and the number working in various positions within shell-fire?
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEThe military authorities inform me that they have no reliable information on these matters, as the number engaged in any one class of work is continually changing.
§ Mr. PENNEFATHERasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether any Liverpool men who are prisoners at Ruhleben or elsewhere in Germany have been required to give an undertaking to repay sums advanced to them by the British authorities to enable them to return to this country; if so, will he state whether any inquiries were made, before demanding such an undertaking, as to 322W whether the men were in a position to bear the cost of their journey home; and what course the Government will pursue in regard to the men who, on their return home, find that the discharge of this undertaking is a severe burden upon their scanty means?
§ Mr. HOPEHitherto undertakings have been required from British civilians in Germany to repay any moneys advanced to them out of public funds. The question, however, is now being reconsidered.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) whether any effort has been made to ascertain the number of German prisoners suitable for working in coal mines in this country; and how many of them are so employed?
§ Mr. HOPEThe answer to the first part of the question is that prisoners of war are classified according to their previous occupations, and the number of miner prisoners now in England is approximately 1,400. They are not at present employed in coal mines.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) what is now the exact position with regard to permission to send food to British prisoners of war now interned in Holland?
§ Mr. HOPEThe rule is that food parcels may not be sent. The general position as to the feeding of the British interned prisoners has improved, but we have reason to think it is capable of further improvement and the matter is under anxious consideration at the present moment.
§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) what steps are being taken to obtain the release of British and Indian prisoners of war in Turkey?
§ Mr. HOPEThe Turkish Government and the Governments of Germany and Austria-Hungary have been notified that a British ship will be sent to Scala Nova on a fixed date with 1,000 Turkish prisoners of war to embark a thousand British invalid prisoners of war. It is understood that the Turkish Government are collecting the latter at a point near Smyrna. The ship in question will also convey stores for the use of our prisoners in Turkey who cannot be immediately repatriated.
323WIn addition to the above steps for carrying out the Berne Agreement, His Majesty's Government have proposed to the Turkish Government the repatriation of all British, including Indian, prisoners of war in Turkey who have been over eighteen months in captivity, against that of similar numbers and ranks of similarly situated Turkish prisoners of war in British hands. To this proposal no reply has yet been received, and the Turkish Government have therefore been informed that His Majesty's Government must insist on an immediate answer.
As my Noble Friend is no doubt aware, instructions have been given to General Allenby that in the event of an armistice being concluded with Turkey, the immediate and unconditional return of our British prisoners should be required.