§ Lieut.-Colonel BURGOYNEasked the Prime Minister (1) how many British refugees from Russia are now housed at Mitcham workhouse, who is in charge of their maintenance, what efforts are being made to find employment for such as desire it, what clothes they possess; and what help the Government is giving towards their relief; (2) how many British refugees from Russia are in this country, by whom are they being cared for, whether the Bolsheviks stripped both men and women naked before releasing them, and relieved them of the whole of their possessions, whether they are in a state of most pitiful destitution, and what steps are the Government taking to relieve their want?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe number of British civilians who reached Finland between 10th March and 27th April, as a result of the Litvinoff agreement, was 727; there are, of course, other refugees from South Russia and Siberia. Those refugees who have no homes to go to or friends to receive them are being cared for by the United Russian Societies Association at Mitcham; as regards the third part of the question, I understand that these persons were subjected to a searching examination before leaving Soviet Russia. They were certainly not all of them relieved of the whole of their possessions. It is, however, true to say that they were not given facilities to bring with them everything which they might have wished. As regards the fourth part of the question, some of the refugees are certainly destitute, and all of them have suffered losses in Russia. The fifth part of the question does not arise, as these persons are being looked after by a private Committee.