§ Mr. Denvilleasked the Home Secretary how the repatriation of any Basque children is being effected; and whether the cost of such repatriation is borne solely by voluntary effort or with State assistance in any cases?
§ Sir S. HoareThe repatriation of the Basque children is being carried out by the National Joint Committee for Spanish Relief in accordance with the undertaking given to His Majesty's Government by the Committee in May last when the children were admitted to this country. Up to 2nd December about 300 children have proceeded to Bilbao,via France: a further party of about 500 is leaving by the same route as soon as the frontier is re-opened, and applications in respect of another 100 children are at present being considered by the Committee. The whole cost of the repatriation, in accordance with the undertaking given 1350W by the Committee, has been borne by private funds, and no State assistance has been afforded in any case.
§ Mr. Denvilleasked the Home Secretary the total number of Spanish refugees in this country under the age of 18 years?
§ Sir S. HoareThe number of Spanish refugee children under the age of 18 residing in this country under the care of the Basque Children's Committee is 3,525, of whom about 500 are about to be repatriated by the Committee. There are in addition a certain number of Spanish children who, like other foreign children, have been admitted to this country in the normal way either for purpose of study or in company with parents or other relatives for a visit. No precise figures for such children are available.
§ Captain Macnamaraasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Duke of Alba offered a ship to the Basque Childrens' Committee to assist in the repatriation of children to Spain; that the Basque Childrens' Committee were willing to fill this ship but that certain difficulties outside the control of either party have arisen in connection with this ship; what steps he has taken to enable this arrangement to be carried out, and with what result?
§ Viscount CranborneI understand that the Salamanca authorities, through the Duke of Alba, offered last month to provide a ship for the repatriation to Bilbao of about 500 of the Basque children now in this country under the care of the National Joint Committee for Spanish Relief, and that this offer was acceptable in principle to that Committee. However, a stipulation was made by the Duke of Alba that he should receive an assurance that the ship in question, on arrival at a United Kingdom port, would not be detained by being made the subject of a claim in law by the Spanish Government that it was their property, or for any other reason. The matter was accordingly brought semi-officially by His Majesty's Government to the attention of the Spanish Government, who replied that they were not able to forego legal action against any ship of Spanish nationality arriving at foreign ports, regardless of the reason of her call. I understand that the National Joint Committee are now making arrangements for the repatriation by train of several hundreds of these children.