§ 118. Major Legge-Bourkeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, in view of the fact that it rescinds the assurance of His Majesty's Government in March, 1939, that after suitable training they would emigrate, the decision to offer 1,300 to 1,400 refugees from Nazi persecution immediate British citizenship was not announced to this House before being released for publication in the Press on 3rd January this year.
§ Mr. EdeWhen these children were brought here in the early days of 1939 the intention was that many of them would, after being trained here, emigrate to other countries, but the position was entirely altered by the war. Many of the older boys and girls at the age when they would have been emigrating joined His Majesty's Forces and the younger ones have grown up in our schools and often have become, in effect, adopted children of their British hosts. Information about a scheme for the naturalisation of those who have no parents was given after Christmas in response to Press inquiries, Parliament being in recess at that time.