HC Deb 09 February 1939 vol 343 c1128W
Colonel Wedgwood

asked the Home Secretary whether there is any public control over and any public audit of the funds collected in this country for the relief of refugees from Germany; on what is the money being spent; and how is it that, in spite of the collection of these large funds, no Jew can come to Great Britain unless some private person will guarantee that he or she will personally be responsible for seeing that they are housed and fed without becoming a charge either upon the country or upon the funds collected?

Sir S. Hoare

I know of no justification for the suggestion in the last part of the question. On the contrary, my information is that numbers of refugees arc being supported from the funds of the voluntary organisations, but the calls on those funds are great and it would be most unfortunate if the impression were created that the raising of collective funds lessens the need for help from individual guarantors. Funds collected for the relief of refugees are on the same footing as other charitable funds; and are not subject to Government control.