§ 89. Mr. Dribergasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent deportation to Germany of a number of Ukrainian ex-prisoners of war; and how many were so deported.
§ Mr. EdeBy the end of 1948 all but 530 of the 8,000 prisoners of war of Ukrainian origin, who were brought to the United Kingdom in 1947, had been placed in employment and had assumed civilian status as European Volunteer Workers. Two hundred and thirty of the 530 were sick or engaged in hospital duties and 300 had been found unsuitable for or unwilling to take civil employment of the type open to European Volunteer Workers. In pursuance of our international obligations, it was necessary to release all prisoners of war from military custody on 31st December, 1948. Arrangements were made for the sick to pass into the care of the civil health authorities, and it was felt that the 300 who for various reasons had been found unacceptable as European Volunteer38W Workers should be sent to Germany for discharge. In reaching this conclusion account was taken of the fact that the United Kingdom had already made a substantial contribution towards the resettlement of the Ukrainians by the absorption of some 7,500 into civil employment.
The necessary arrangements with the authorities in Germany for the return of the 300 men could not be completed before the House rose in December, and in the event it was decided to send only 80 men to Germany as prisoners of war for discharge. These included 46 men who wished to return, 33 who because of their records as prisoners of war could not be accepted as European Volunteer Workers, and one who refused all offers of employment. A final decision about the remainder has been deferred in order to see how far they can be placed in employment without detriment to the interests of British subjects.