HC Deb 05 December 1944 vol 406 cc385-6W
Mr. De Chair

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will indicate what restrictions are now to be imposed, or have recently been imposed, on the movements of co-operating Italian prisoners of war; and how the public are to distinguish these from non-co-operating prisoners.

Sir J. Grigg

Co-operating prisoners of war are restricted to movement within a radius of five miles of their camp or billet without escort in off duty periods up to 10 p.m. This restriction has been in force since August. Italian co-operators wear unpatched battledress dyed chocolate or green, bearing a shoulder flash with the word "Italy" in red letters. Non-co-operators wear chocolate dyed battledress with contrasting coloured patches, but do not wear the shoulder flash.

Mr. De Chair

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the camps for Italian prisoners of war in Norfolk which were stated by the Minister of Agriculture to be unsuitable for German prisoners of war have now been converted to accommodate the latter; and, if not, how soon Italian prisoners of war can be replaced by German prisoners of war for work on Norfolk farms so that the Italians can be returned to their own country and help in its liberation.

Sir J. Grigg

There are German prisoners in three of the six camps in this area. They cannot be put into the other three for security reasons, even if the camps were converted. There continues to be a demand for Italian prisoner of war labour in this area which cannot be met by German prisoners of war owing to the conditions under which the Germans have to be employed.