§ Captain CHARLES CRAIGasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that officers, and in some cases non-commissioned officers and privates, prisoners of war in Germany, had to pay on an average £6 or £7 per month for food parcels from England to make up for the lack and bad quality of the food supplied by the Germans; and whether, in view of the fact that it was due to the inability of the Government to force the Germans to give British prisoners of war decent food that British prisoners of war were compelled to make the expenditure above mentioned, he will take steps to refund such sums as officers and men have spent in this way?
Captain GUESTA large and complete organisation was in existence for supplying prisoners of war in Germany with parcels of food, and I am not aware that any non-commissioned officers or men were obliged to pay for such parcels, although in many cases relatives no doubt did so voluntarily. Perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will give me some particulars of the cases he has in mind. Officers who, while prisoners of war in Germany were credited with full pay and allowances, were expected to pay for their parcels, except in certain cases where they were not in a position to do so. In such cases the Central Prisoners of War Committee undertook to pay the whole or part of the cost of the parcels.