§ Sir A. Knoxasked the Postmaster-General what arrangements his Department has made for the mails to and from prisoners of war in Germany; and whether he is aware that while Mrs. Ian Campbell, by re-addressing letters in Lisbon, can get letters through by air-mail from Britain in about 14 days, ordinary letters take from two to three months and in many cases never arrive at all?
§ Captain WaterhouseMails to and from prisoners of war in Germany are sent via Switzerland or via occupied France through Lisbon. The normal communication with Lisbon is by surface routes but an air mail service from this country is available, the surcharge being 5d. for the first oz. (postcards 2½d.). I understand that Mrs. Ian Campbell has been able to make use of the air service between Lisbon and Germany for the small number of letters with which she deals, but unfortunately these services are not available for the transmission of the letters contained in the ordinary mails to and from prisoners of war. My hon. and gallant Friend will be glad to learn that my right hon. Friend hopes at an early date to arrange for the transmission of all prisoners of war letters from Lisbon to this country by air.
§ Sir W. Davisonasked the Postmaster-General what are the present regulations as to the despatch of tobacco and cigarettes to prisoners of war in Germany?
§ Captain WaterhouseTobacco and cigarettes are despatched to the prisoners by the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John. They cannot be enclosed in the quarterly "personal" parcels from the next-of-kin. Relatives may, however, arrange for tobacco and cigarettes to be sent free of duty through firms who hold a special permit from the Censorship Department.
§ Sir W. Davisonasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the serious and unnecessary delay in the delivery of letters from home to prisoners of war in Germany, largely because of the prolonged German censorship of such letters; and what steps have been taken, through the protecting Power or otherwise, to speed up the delivery of such letters and relieve the great anxiety felt by many prisoners 325W owing to the absence of any news from their families at home?
§ Captain WaterhouseI am aware that there have been numerous complaints of delay to letters from this country addressed to British prisoners of war in Germany. The complaints may arise from several causes, such as the length and congestion of the route followed, or the transfer of the addresses from one camp to another. It is clear that in certain camps there is no provision for censoring letters in English and that they have to be sent elsewhere for censorship: the matter is being pursued through the channel of the protecting Power. It is important that letters to our prisoners should be very clearly written, as there is evidence that some have been held up on account of illegibility. It will be appreciated that information as regards the incidence of delay is more readily available in respect of incoming letters from our prisoners. Letters from some of the German camps have borne evidence of excessive delay in Germany and representations have already been made through the protecting Power.
§ Sir W. Davisonasked the Postmaster-General whether letters and parcels are sent from Germany to German prisoners of war in Great Britain; by what route are any such letters or parcels sent; what length of time is taken between the despatch of such letters, etc., from Germany and their arrival in Great Britain; and whether letters and parcels to British prisoners of war in Germany can be sent by the same route?
§ Captain WaterhouseLetters and parcels are sent from Germany to German prisoners of war in Great Britain, both by way of occupied France and by way of Switzerland. Evidence of total time of transmission is in many cases lacking but, so far as information is available in respect of mails recently received, the time taken is about seven weeks in all in the case of letters, while parcels have taken from 4½ to 12 weeks, from Switzerland only. In the reverse direction letters to prisoners of war in Germany are sent to Bale by Portugal, Spain and unoccupied France. Standard Red Cross parcels are sent to Geneva by the same route; personal parcels from relatives have been consigned to the Post Office at Madrid whence I understand they are transmitted by occupied France to Cologne. During326W the last fortnight it has been possible to charter several ships to take parcels from Lisbon to Marseilles, and on 17th January all parcels which had reached Lisbon by 16th January had been cleared.
§ Sir W. Davisonasked the Postmaster General whether he is aware that post offices were at Christmas still without any leaflets giving particulars as to the regulations for the despatch of letters, parcels, &c., to prisoners of war in Germany; what is the cause of the great delay which has occurred in the distribution of these circulars; and whether the matter will be dealt with immediately?
§ Captain WaterhouseAs my hon. Friend is aware the leaflet to which he refers has recently been reprinted. A preliminary supply of the revised leaflet was received from the printers on 19th December, but owing to pressure at the printers and transport difficulties it was unfortunately impossible to complete the distribution until 28th December.