§ Wing-Commander Jamesasked the Prime Minister what progress has been made in respect of a long-term policy for the permanent settlement of Jewish refugees from Germany and Central Europe?
§ Mr. ButlerThe examination of schemes of settlement in the British Colonial Empire, to which the Prime Minister referred in the statement which he made on 21st November, is proceeding. I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend in particular to the information contained in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the hon. Members for Dudley (Mr. Joel) and Birkenhead, East (Mr. White) on 31st January, regarding the investigation of the possibilities of large-scale settlement in British Guiana.
384WAs regards the general question of the settlement of refugees, the Director of the Inter-Governmental Committee has been engaged in discussions with the German Government, the result of which is not yet known to His Majesty's Government. It is expected that Mr. Rublee will report to a full meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee in the near future, at which all aspects of the question will be reviewed.
§ Sir S. Reedasked the Home Secretary how many refugee children from greater Germany have been admitted to this country to the latest available date; how many of these remain here; and what are the numbers of Jewish, part-Jewish, and non-Jewish children in the totals?
§ Sir S. HoareThe number of refugee children from Germany and Austria who have been admitted to this country since 1933 and are still in this country is approximately 3,800, of which 2,400 have been brought here under the auspices of the British Movement for the care of children from Germany during the past four weeks. Almost all these children are of Jewish origin, but I have no information to enable me to classify them in categories of Jewish and part-Jewish.