§ 95. Mr. Skeffington-Lodgeasked the Minister of Labour whether he will make arrangements for prisoners of war who wish to remain in this country as free workmen to register for this purpose in their respective camps, and to indicate their experience in, and preference for, those occupations the filling of which would help the country and would have no adverse effect on British nationals.
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§ Mr. IsaacsNo, Sir. I am not at present making any arrangements for the employment of German prisoners of war in a civilian status, except. as already announced, in agriculture.
§ 96. Mr. Skeffington-Lodgeasked the Minister of Labour whether, where a farmer has obtained permission to retain a prisoner of war who wants to remain here, the prisoner becomes an alien civilian from the date the application is granted, from the time his repatriation is due, or from the time the last prisoner of war in this country has been repatriated.
§ Mr. IsaacsAs soon as possible after the farmer's application has been approved and the contract of service signed.
§ 97. Mr. Skeffington-Lodgeasked the Minister of Labour whether, in the case of those prisoners of war whom they are losing through repatriation, arrangements can be made for farmers unable to find British labour to apply for prisoners of war now employed outside agriculture who wish to transfer to farming and to remain in this country.
§ Mr. IsaacsIf a farmer loses a prisoner of war through repatriation and the resulting vacancy cannot be filled by British labour, it will be filled by any foreign labour, including German prisoners of war, that can be made available.