Captain Long;hurstasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works why No. 73, Creffield Road and other houses in Acton, previously held under requisition by the War Office, have been redecorated by Italian prisoners of war for their own occupation, at a time when residents of that borough cannot find adequate accommodation for themselves.
§ Sir R. Blairasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works how many former Italian prisoners of war are being accommodated in houses in the 956W residential neighbourhood of Pinner and Hatch End; will he state the nature of their work; and how long are they expected to stay in view of the acute shortage of housing accommodation both for the families of Service men and others from the bombed areas.
§ Mr. HicksItalian prisoners-of-war, on the application of Government Departments, have been allocated by the Ministry of Labour for essential work some of which is in the London area. This includes railways, food distribution and public utilities. In order to comply with the requirements of the Geneva Convention prisoners-of-war, at this time of the year, are moved out of tented accommodation and the War Office have released, in substitution for tents, accommodation including houses already under their requisition. It is some of these houses which are in question. Apart from some electrical and plumbing services, the work carried out at the houses at Acton was mainly washing down and some distempering which the prisoners carried out themselves. It has since been decided not to use the Acton houses for the purpose of housing prisoners. The numbers accommodated in Pinner and Hatch End are 1,146, and they are employed on essential work. The question whether it will now be possible to dispense in whole or in part with the use of this labour in London is at present being considered by the responsible Departments.