§ Mr. Harveyasked the Secretary of State for War whether steps have been taken, or will be taken, through the Dominions Office, or otherwise, to obtain such evidence as is available from Australia as to the conditions under which the internees sent to Australia on the steamship "Dunera" made the voyage and as to their condition on arrival there, so that this evidence may be examined at the inquiry which has been promised?
§ Mr. LawPreliminary investigations are now in progress into the matters for which the War Office is responsible, and until these have been completed I cannot say what further evidence will he required. The military personnel concerned have not vet all returned to this country.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary whether he will grant a seven-days' leave to internees who are released on joining the Pioneer Corps?
1096W
§ Mr. H. MorrisonThis is a matter primarily for the War Office, and I am in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War on the subject.
§ Miss Rathboneasked the Home Secretary how many non-enemy aliens have appeared before the advisory committee of which Sir Francis Lindley is chairman; and how many remain to be dealt with through that committee or to be considered for release by himself without the necessity of such appearance?
§ Mr. MorrisonUp to 28th January 142 cases have been considered by this committee who have made recommendations in 108 cases. Some 450 cases remain for consideration.
§ Miss Rathboneasked the Home Secretary the numbers and categories of authorised releases of aliens of enemy origin from internment camps, distinguishing between releases of those in the United Kingdom and those interned in Canada and Australia, up to the latest available date?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe numbers of releases authorised under each category of the White Paper or as special cases up to the 18th January were giver by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary on the 22nd January in an answer to the junior Member for the Combined English Universities. These figures include internees sent to Canada and Australia as well as those detained in this country. The available statistics do not enable me to say how many of the releases authorised under each category relate to aliens who had been sent to Canada and Australia, but the total number of internees whose release has been authorised is now 10,465, including 241 in Canada and 170 in Australia.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Home Secretary what arrangements are being made to facilitate the enlistment of internees in Australia for the Pioneer Corps; whether, in particular, his attention has been drawn to the case of Mr. Willy Otto, who came to this country in 1933 as a political refugee and who repeatedly offered his services for any kind of national service; and will he see that his case is reexamined with that end in view?
1097W
§ Mr. MorrisonArrangements have been made, in consultation with the Australian authorities, for notices to be exhibited in internment camps inviting applications for enlistment in the Pioneer Corps and giving particulars of the conditions of service. Completed forms of application by internees will be sent to this country by air mail and the names of candidates accepted for enlistment will be cabled to Australia. These men will then be medically examined and those who pass this examination will be sent at the cost of the British Government to join the Pioneer Corps of the British Army either in Great Britain or wherever their services may be required. It will be open to Mr. Willy Otto to avail himself of this opportunity of offering his services. His case has been re-examined but does not appear to fall within any other category of the White Paper.