§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Secretary of State for War where Kurt Regner, saved from the "Arandora Star," now is; how many other Austrians were saved and where they now are; and whether and, if so, how many were shipped off to Australia or Canada without being allowed to see or communicate with their families in England?
§ Mr. EdenKurt Regner is on the way to Australia. Twenty-two other Austrians 429W were saved, of whom 14 are on the way to Australia and 8 are in this country. In the case of those who have been sent to Australia, there was no time to arrange interviews, but there was nothing to prevent their writing letters, subject to censorship.
§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Secretary of State for War what disciplinary action he proposes to take against those responsible for the harsh treatment of friendly aliens in the internment camps until recently under his control?
§ Mr. LawMy right hon. Friend strongly deprecates the suggestion that there has been harsh treatment in the internment camps for which the War Office has been responsible. It is true that, as has already been explained, the recent large intakes of internees made it necessary to improvise camps for their reception at extremely short notice, and that initially conditions in these camps were not what was desirable. But camp commandants and their staffs have worked hard and unceasingly to remedy the conditions, as many letters and statements from internees and independent observers testify. Far from taking any disciplinary action, my right hon. Friend is glad to take this opportunity of expressing his appreciation to those concerned for their untiring efforts in very difficult circumstances.
§ Mr. S. O. Daviesasked the Secretary of State for War the reasons why the late Guiseppe Conti, 58622, was taken from the Warth Mills internment camp and placed on the "Arandora Star," whereon he lost his life and left bereft a widow and two young children at Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil?
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that Danilo Lebrecht, known as Lorenzo Montano, an Italian refugee and anti-Fascist journalist, has, since the outbreak of war, rendered national service at the request of the Foreign Office, and will he order the immediate release of this internee?
§ Sir J. AndersonI regret that the information before me provides no basis for a claim that this gentleman has rendered such services to this country as to justify giving him any preferential treatment in the matter of release.
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§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether he will have internee Mrs. Crete Fischer, Hotel Snaefel Hydro, Port Erin (C), sent, to the United States of America Consulate, London, in view of the fact that she and her husband have been summoned there to get their visas for America?
§ Sir J. AndersonArrangements are being made for Mrs. Fischer to attend at the United States Consulate, London, with a view to obtaining a visa for America.
§ Mr. Joelasked the Home Secretary the approximate number of German and Austrian refugee scientists who are at present interned in this country; and whether arrangements can be made in the case of those whose internment is to continue to accommodate them all in one place where they can have reasonable access to scientific books and documents, and where they will be able, to some extent, to carry on useful activities and maintain contact with the relevant scientific bodies and institutions in this country?
§ Sir J. AndersonI regret that the information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available. As regards the rest of the Question, I would refer to the reply given to the hon. Member for East Middlesbrough (Mr. A. Edwards) on 4th July. I will consider what steps can be taken to enable scientists, who are not released, to carry on their scientific activities or studies in internment.
§ Colonel Clarkeasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that no news of the whereabouts of a boy named Georg Wallis, who was taken from Farnborough School and interned on 12th May last, has been received since 28th June; whether he will inform the Hartfield branch of the Church of England Committee for Non-Aryan Christians, who are responsible to this boy's parents in America for his safety, where he is; and whether, under the new regulations, he can at once be released?
§ Sir J. AndersonThe committee informed me on 25th July that they had received a letter from Wallis dated 7th July. He embarked for Australia on nth July. The question of his release will be considered.
§ Mr. Shinwellasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that Mr. T. Pulitzer, 431W a non-Nazi Austrian, who was rescued from the "Arandora Star," is now in hospital and paralysed in both legs; and whether he will consider his early release in order that friends could take care of him?
§ Sir J. AndersonMy attention had not previously been drawn to this case, but I have called for a report so that the question of Mr. Pulitzer's release may be considered without delay.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether he will establish as one of the new categories for the release of friendly enemy aliens those having sons serving in the British Army?
§ Sir J. AndersonCategory 15 in the White Paper already covers the case of persons having a British-born or naturalised son serving in His Majesty's Forces; and I understand that the Advisory Committee are considering whether this category should be extended.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether he will arrange for husbands and wives, or parents and children who have been interned in different camps in the Isle of Man, to be allowed to visit each other occasionally?
§ Sir J. AndersonAll husbands interned in the Isle of Man whose wives and children were in the Rushen Internment Camp in the Island were given the opportunity of meeting together on 26th July. I am considering what other similar visits can be allowed.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether the recent internment of Class C refugees was carried out under Defence Regulation 18B or by virtue of the Royal Prerogative; and, in the latter case, will such refugees be compensated for loss caused them by the use of such powers?
§ Sir J. AndersonThe internment of persons who are subjects of a State at war with His Majesty is effected by virtue of the Royal Prerogative. No compensation for loss in such cases is payable out of public funds.
Miss Rathboneasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that in Huyton Aliens Internment Camp there were, on 8th July, still 26 medical practitioners and about 21 dentists qualified to practice 432W in the United Kingdom; have these men or any of them been released; and, in view of the injury to their practices or hospital appointments likely to result from their detention, will he expedite the matter; and whether their release and permission to practise will be affected by the question of whether their practices were in protected areas?
§ Sir J. AndersonI have not been able in the short time available to identify the 47 persons referred to, but I can assure my hon. Friend that if they have not already been released their applications under category 9 of the White Paper will be dealt with as expeditiously as possible. Those who had permission to remain in an aliens protected area will be allowed to return there.
§ Sir R. Aclandasked the Home Secretary whether he will give the present whereabouts of Rudolf Shreuer, No. 7683, probably interned, from 12, The Park, N.W.11, on 27th June, and of Walter Shreuer, his brother, both were at Lingfield Park Camp, and of Horst von Clear, No. 76384, interned on 3rd July and last heard of at Huyton Camp?
§ Sir J. AndersonAccording to the information in possession of my Department, these three men left for Australia on 10th July.
§ Mr. Manderasked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the advisability, in the interests of security, of deporting overseas prominent British subjects of Fascist sympathies now interned?
§ Sir J. AndersonI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 4th July to a Question by the hon. Member for Stirling and Clackmannan (Mr. Woodburn).
§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Home Secretary whether, now that his Department has taken over the control of aliens' camps, he will assure the House that more humane methods will be adopted; that differentiation will be made between friendly and unfriendly aliens; that the families of interned aliens will be immediately informed of the whereabouts and conditions of their relations; and that the release of friendly aliens who are aged or ill will be expedited?
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§ Sir J. AndersonMany of the difficulties which confronted those who had to improvise arrangements hastily for large numbers of people have now been overcome; and I hope to effect improvements in the conditions in the camps, including any necessary measures of classification, as rapidly as circumstances permit. As announced on 6th August by my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal, information regarding internees will be available to their families at the Information Bureau which will be opened at St. Stephen's House on 12th August. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the White Paper presented last week.
§ Mr. Rhys Daviesasked the Home Secretary why aliens released from internment are requested to sign a promise to the authorities not to disclose, under penalty of being interned again, the conditions prevailing in their camps; and whether he will put an end to this practice?
§ Sir J. AndersonI have not yet been able to ascertain what is the basis of this allegation, but as soon as I heard of it I caused an instruction to be sent to all camps that nothing is to be said or done to suggest that there is the least desire, so far as the camp authorities are concerned, to place any restriction on what an alien may say or write about the conditions in internment camps after he has been set at liberty.
§ Sir E. Bennettasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that, recently, during a transference to the convict prison at Liverpool persons detained at Brixton under the Emergency Regulations were conveyed to Euston in a prison van and marched along the platform handcuffed to each other; and will he give instructions to prevent any repetition of this?
§ Sir J. AndersonMy hon. Friend was good enough to draw my attention to this incident at the time. I share his view and had already given directions that handcuffs should be used only where there may be special reason for thinking that an escape may be attempted.
§ Captain W. T. Shawasked the Home Secretary whether, seeing that certain British subjects of 73 years of age are being detained under Order 18B and 434W have been subjected to between 18 and 19 hours solitary confinement, he will appoint an advisory council similar to that set up to deal with aliens, to inquire into the conditions meted out to British subjects?
§ Sir J. AndersonI am anxious that, so far as may be practicable, persons detained under Regulation 18B of the Defence Regulations shall be detained under camp conditions rather than under prison conditions; and recently some 600 of those persons were transferred from Liverpool prison to an internment camp. I do not think there is any need to set up a separate advisory council such as my hon. and gallant Friend suggests, but I shall be glad, in settling the conditions applicable to persons detained under Regulation 18B to have the benefit of any recommendations which may be made by the advisory council which will be considering the conditions applicable to interned aliens.