HC Deb 18 December 1946 vol 431 cc397-8W
113. Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement about the status of displaced persons in the British zone of Germany, indicating what are their present food rations; whether they are being put to work under German supervision; and whether it is intended to confer German or Austrian nationality on any unclaimed children.

Mr. J. Hynd

The status of these displaced persons is still that of civilians for whose care special arrangements were made by the Control authorities and by U.N.R.R.A. Their ration scales are now the same as those of the Germans, being based on a 1,550 calory scale for the normal consumer with appropriate differences for other categories In addition to the large numbers employed on work for the Control Commission, including timber work, a number are already working in German factories. I know of no proposals to confer German or Austrian nationality on unclaimed children in the British zone of Germany. Our intention is that such children should not be treated as German unless it proves impossible to establish claim to some other nationality.