§ Mr. Windsorasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the conditions prevailing at wounded and sick camps in the Central Mediterranean Area; and whether he will have full inquiries made into the case sent to him by the hon. Member for Central Hull; and what action he proposes to take.
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§ Sir J. GriggThe hon. Member forwarded to me a copy of a letter published in a Sunday newspaper. This related to one particular convalescent depot and investigations show that even at this depot the conditions described were by no means general. The location of this convalescent depot was not entirely suitable for occupation during the winter, but for military reasons it could not be moved as had been originally intended. Steps were taken to prepare it for the winter but before this could be done torrential rains set in. These came much earlier than had been expected, and the hon. Member must be aware of the general dislocation they caused from newspaper reports. The report I have received contains the following particulars: The majority of tents are dry inside. Defective tents are being replaced as soon as possible. A tent was erected to protect those waiting for meals. A drying shed was available and there was an ample reserve of spare blankets. The scale of beds normally available for a convalescent depot is being supplemented by the construction of bunks. Each individual not provided with a bed received a groundsheet. A complete issue of gas capes has now been made. There are no large buildings available locally, and the area has been heavily bombed. There is apparently no suitable permanent accommodation which is being occupied by Italians.