§ Mr. Prittasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any statement to make on the compulsory evacuation of civilian British European women and children from Hong Kong; whether he is aware that great distress is being caused by the conditions of this evacuation; that racial discrimination in respect of this evacuation has caused bitter resentment among the Chinese and Portuguese communities in the colony; and whether he will arrange that any further evacuation of civilians should take place on a voluntary basis without racial discrimination?
§ Mr. George HallIn view of the uncertainty of local conditions His Majesty's Government decided that it was necessary to bring into operation a measure of evacuation of women and children from Hong Kong. This was restricted to the minimum considered to be essential and did not extend to persons and families domiciled in the colony. I regret the disturbance which must inevitably be caused by such operations whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, and my hon. Friend may be assured that such consideration as is 1247W possible is being given to individual cases of hardship, and no evacuation beyond this restricted scheme is at present contemplated.