asked the Secretary of State for War the number of houses requisitioned by his Ministry in Northern Ireland during the war; the number de-requisitioned up to the present; the number of requisitioned houses at present vacant; and when these houses will be handed back to their owners, in view of the shortage of houses in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary, of State for War for what purposes numbers of medium sized private dwelling-houses, in the neighbourhood of London and in country districts, are still requisitioned by the military, although long unoccupied and frequently without any caretaking arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many dwelling-houses, the property of the Liverpool Corporation, are at present requisitioned by his Department; and whether he will assist the Corporation by releasing all such premises for the purpose of alleviating the acute housing shortage in the city.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many buildings in the county borough of Eastbourne are requisitioned by his Department; how many of these are normally hotels, boarding-houses and private dwellings respectively; approximately how many rooms are involved in each category; and how many requisitioned rooms are at present not occupied by troops.

A good deal of empty accommodation is being reserved by the Army against the needs of the release period and for housing, temporarily, returned prisoners of war. Every effort is made to provide caretakers but owing to the shortage of man-power it is impossible to provide one for every house. As I have said on a number of occasions I am at present undertaking an exhaustive review of the requisitioned accommodation in the hands of the Army, and its holdings will be balanced against its needs now and in the future. Buildings which can be spared will then be released. I am circulating the particulars asked for about Northern Ireland, Liverpool and Eastbourne in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the Minister consider the early de-requisitioning of church halls, in order that they may be prepared for religious and social work in the autumn? They have been greatly missed.

I think the first two categories in priority are small houses and schools and colleges. I think church halls come after those.

Is the Minister aware that it is not merely a question of one caretaker per house? There are many houses without caretakers, and considerable damage is being done which will require labour and expense to put right.

That may be so. As I say, we do our best to provide caretakers, but it is not possible to provide them in all cases.

Would it not be better, in the meantime, to allow someone to occupy the houses and take care of them?

I do not think so. The suggestion has a certain superficial plausibility, but I do not think it is really a valid point. If one de-requisitions houses, one can only do so once and for all, not for a short time.

In view of the large number of empty properties held by the War Department at Eastbourne, will the right hon. Gentleman carry out a weekly, or at least a monthly, survey to see what can be de-requisitioned?

I should have thought that the first requisite was an exhaustive survey of the whole field. Until that is done, the question of a weekly or monthly survey is quite irrelevant.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the attitude of his Department in this matter is completely at variance with the circular letter previously issued on the subject by the Ministry of Health; and will he see that the particulars given in that letter are either contradicted or borne out?

The hon. and gallant Member had better bring to my attention the particular circular of the Ministry of Health to which he refers. In the meantime, I am prepared to admit nothing.

Will the right hon. Gentleman also have a survey made of the magnificent camps which have been absolutely unoccupied since D-Day? Could not he use those camps, instead of so many small houses?

If the hon. Member will give me indication of magnificent camps which have been unoccupied, I will certainly take them into consideration in the re-allocation of accommodation.

Could not my right hon. Friend give the local authorities some indication of how long these houses will be required? That would help them, to a considerable extent, to plan for the future.

What does my hon. Friend suppose are the purposes of the general review I am undertaking?

Will the right hon. Gentleman give special consideration to the de-requisitioning of dwelling houses in Northern Ireland, on account of the extreme shortage of housing accommodation there?

I have already said on more than one occasion that the first two priorities, in my view, in the consideration of the possibility of de-requisitioning, are small dwelling-houses and schools and colleges, so the answer to the hon. Member is, shortly, "Yes."

rose —

I think we had better get on. We have spent a long time on the problem.

Following are the particulars:

Northern Ireland: 251 houses are requisitioned. 63 of these are at present not occupied.

Liverpool: 391 houses are requisitioned.

Eastbourne: 543 buildings are requisitioned. 80 of these are normally hotels and boarding houses and 396 private dwellings. The approximate number of rooms involved in each category is 1,930 and 3,930 respectively of which about 285 and 520 respectively are not occupied at present.

asked the Secretary of State for War why it was necessary, in the sixth year of war, to requisition, without previous notice, a field in the centre of Market Harborough owned by the Market Harborough Town Estate, a charitable institution, which had been scheduled by them as an open space for the use of the townspeople; and to what use the field is to be put.

This land was requisitioned for use by a driver training battalion, and it was necessary that it should be close to the headquarters of the unit. The grazing tenant and the owners' secretary were approached before requisition, and neither raised any objection. Representatives of other Government Departments were advised, including the regional planning officer, but no objections were received. After requisition the owners raised objection and alternative sites suggested by them were inspected but they were not considered as suitable for the proposed use. Arrangements have been made for the preservation of the turf and top soil and for protection of the trees. The field will be released to its present owners as soon as it is no longer necessary for military purposes.

May I ask my right hon. Friend if he is aware that there is a field adjacent which would have been much more suitable for this institution, and, secondly, that the tenant who had the grazing of the field has only been informed to-day that the requisitioning took place, and that the trustees of this institution were not informed at all about it?

As regards the first part of the question I am unable to say. Naturally, I have not inspected the site myself, but I have been informed that the alternative sites suggested, which were only suggested after requisitioning had taken place, were not suitable. So far as the second part of the question is concerned, my information, again, is that the grazing tenant and the owners' secretary were approached before requisitioning, and neither raised any objection.

Owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise this matter on the Motion for the Adjournment.

Mr. Bossom.

I understood that this Question had been withdrawn.

This Question and Question 23 are almost the same.

Perhaps the hon. Member will allow me to answer the Question in connection with Question 23.

Later —

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will cause an investigation to be made as to whether persons in the Forces would prefer to have the existing A and B schemes for demobilisation rigidly maintained or whether they would rather have building trade operatives released in greater numbers immediately European hostilities cease.

It would be impracticable to address such a question to each and every serving soldier and I do not think that it would be desirable to do so. It would be a bad thing at this stage to raise doubts in the minds of the Forces as to the Government's intentions in the matter of release.

Is not my right hon. Friend aware of the tremendous concern of all serving men to have a home, and will he inquire not of every serving man, but of representative groups, as I am sure he will be informed that they would much prefer to have houses than that they and their wives and children should have nowhere to go when they come out of the Service?

Of course, they would, but I am quite clear that the important thing in this release scheme is to continue the scheme in such a shape that the soldiers are satisfied that there is no possibility of a racket over it.

asked the Secretary of State for War the date when a British "Beetle" was demonstrated before the Prime Minister, the General Staff and General Pope, and the date when the Germans first used a "Beetle"; is he satisfied with the action taken after the letter sent to the Prime Minister by the hon. Member for Stoke, dated 7th December, 1941; and what action was taken in response to the suggestion made later that the "Beetle" would make a good mine detector.

My hon. Friend is probably referring to the comprehensive demonstration which was given on 16th August, 1941. The answer to the second part of the Question is "Yes, Sir." Trials continued until September, 1942, but the device proved unsuitable either as a carrier of an explosive charge or as a mine detector. The Germans first used a similar device in 1944, and it proved to be a failure.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many Regular officers and N.C.Os. are now doing duty with the Army Cadet Force; and what establishment has been authorised for the purpose.

Officers who are temporarily surplus to Army requirements are being used to help with the training of the Army Cadet Force, and permanent staff instructors at present retained with Home Guard units for clearing up purposes and other non-commissioned officers who may be temporarily surplus to Army requirements are being similarly used. Authority has been given for the employment of up to 86 officers and 616 noncommissioned officers, if available, but no precise establishment has been issued. No officer or man will be retained in the Army specifically for this purpose if he is entitled and willing to be released.

May I ask my right hon. Friend if he will give an assurance that the adding of regular officers to the Cadet Force will not cause removal of officers who have done yeoman work during the period of the war?

I am very sorry, but I did not quite understand the question. Perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will put it down.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that many soldiers fail to hear announcements of extensions of B.L.A. leave; and whether he will cause greater publicity to be given to such announcements in the future.

These extensions are usually due to bad weather in the Channel. As soon as it becomes clear that sailings must be suspended an announcement is sent to the newspapers and to the B.B.C. Railway traffic officers at stations display the announcement and make every effort to advise the men. Soldiers are told of these arrangements in a pamphlet which is given to them when they go on leave. I will see if these arrangements can be improved but in the circumstances it is quite impossible to ensure that every man is advised in time.

While realising the difficulties, may I ask my right hon. Friend if he is aware that, in a recent case, B.L.A. leave men who had arrived in England heard an announcement by the B.B.C., the very day after their arrival, that their leave had been extended; that no further announcement was made whatsoever and that many of the men who had not heard that single announcement, on arrival at the station, were turned back and had to spend the night wandering around? Is he also aware that I am informed that this is not an unusual occurrence?

With regard to the first part of the supplementary question, I would be extremely glad to have specific and identifiable particulars of the incident. I would be very unwilling to believe that there was sufficient foundation for the second part of the supplementary question.

I will send my right hon. Friend particulars.

asked the Secretary of State for War what procedure is adopted in notifying next of kin when a soldier is admitted to an isolation hospital for illness or for observation; and if the nature of the illness or suspected illness is mentioned on the notification card.

When a soldier is admitted to any military or E.M.S. hospital a card is sent to his next-of-kin giving his address. In the case of wounds it gives particulars but not in the case of illness. If soldiers are sent to civil hospitals for infectious diseases the procedure which applies in the particular hospital is no doubt followed.

Would it not be possible to mention certain complaints, such as mumps and measles, so as to save the next-of-kin anxiety due to thinking that the illness is something worse?

I will consider that suggestion but I understand that the practice, at the present moment, is, in the case of notifiable diseases, to tell the local authority concerned.

Is the Minister aware that many mothers are badly upset by the kind of postcards which are sent? I met one who got a notice yesterday that her son was in hospital, and who was in a state of great anxiety until her husband had inquired into it.

If the hon. Member will reflect a little, I think he will see that this question is not as simple as it sounds. I gather that the previous practice was to give the particulars, but the new procedure is, on the whole, one which runs less risk of creating alarm and despondency than the old.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that soldiers returning from leave in Scotland have to report to depots in Southern England at 9 p.m. and that this makes it necessary for them to leave home the night before they are due to report; and whether he will extend the time of return to 12 p.m., which would make it possible for them to do the journey the same day.

For some years officers and men travelling long distances have usually been allowed to return late on the day on which they have to be back but a specific instruction on the lines of my hon. Friend's suggestion has now been issued.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether compensation has now been paid to the expropriated owners of the land on which the Haifa-Beirut-Tripoli railway was built in 1942.

I regret that it has not yet been possible to pay this compensation. The land was expropriated by a local French decree. A very large number of landowners are concerned, and the necessary legal machinery for settling compensation requires further local legislation.

Does not the Minister think it is very bad for British prestige that the Army should be in possession of land taken three years ago and not paid for yet?

My position, and the position of the military authorities, is that they are ready and anxious to pay, but the machinery for payment is not available, and it is machinery that cannot be improvised by the military authorities alone.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that many relations visiting wounded soldiers are unaware of the reduction in train fares to which they are entitled; and what steps he is taking to make this concession better known.

The concession fares granted by the railway companies to certain relatives visiting soldiers in hospital have been available for nearly 5 years and should be well known. In this connection I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson) on 29th March. I am considering whether any further steps are necessary to make the concession better known.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether it is necessary to get some documents from the hospital, and whether it would be possible for near relatives to travel to the hospital and then get the documents?

That seems to me to be a different question. The Question originally asked related to publicity for an existing concession, and, as I understand it, what my hon. Friend proposes is to change conditions under which the concession is granted. I think he had better put that question down.

Does the concession also extend to relatives who want to visit returned prisoners of war in hospital or rehabilitation centres?

I cannot say off-hand and I shall be grateful if the hon. Member will put that question down.

Will my right hon. Friend consider granting free travel for relatives to visit wounded and sick?

I think that the position is that, in the case of soldiers who are dangerously ill, free travel is granted; this question deals only with cases of people who are really not dangerously ill.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that skilled tradesmen transferred to the Army from the R.A.F. are concerned at no longer being employed where their special trade skill can be used; and will he take steps to remedy this.

The Army's present need is mainly for reinforcements for the fighting arms and most of the men transferred from the R.A.F. are therefore not tradesmen. But any such men who are transferred may apply to register as potential tradesmen provided that there is a current demand for their trade in the Army.

Is it explained to these men at the time why they cannot be employed in their particular trades, and, if not, can it be arranged to do so?

I cannot answer that question without notice.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that the infantry is now acknowledged to require the most highly skilled men and is the most arduous and dangerous occupation in the Army, he will consider raising the pay of the infantry to the highest level in the Service.

I am fully aware of the considerations which my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind, and I can assure him that full weight will be given to them in any future revision of Army emoluments.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for his answer, may I ask if "future" means that he will give immediate consideration to the skill of the infantry and that the infantry will be paid the same rates as other branches of the Service who have not had such dangerous occupations?

I would be deceiving my hon. and gallant Friend if I led him to suppose for a moment that my answer was intended to apply to anything but the post-war structure of the Army.

Is it not high time that the skill and courage of the infantry were given some adequate recognition and cannot my right hon. Friend assure the House that immediate consideration will be given to this question?

I do not think, quite frankly, it is possible to revise the whole structure of the pay system of the Army at the present moment. A great many changes were introduced not long ago in the direction of giving due weight to service and to service in the Far East. I cannot at the moment say anything which would lead hon. Members to suppose that any further fundamental and material provision is contemplated during the continuance of the war.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the granting of 28 days' additional pay and allowances to all ranks discharged from the Army through wounds or sickness, who received only 28 days' pay and allowances, so that all discharged men shall be upon the same basis.

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Frome (Mrs. Tate) on 19th December last.

Could my right hon. Friend say to what capital sum such a payment would amount?

Certainly not without notice but I know that the best part of 100,000 people are involved.

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that the additional payment should be granted to dispose of the feeling of injustice which now exists in the minds of those who have been discharged through wounds and sickness?

The only way to meet the contention which my hon. and gallant Friend puts forward is either that no concession should be retrospective or that it all should be, and I think that neither of those propositions would command universal acceptance.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) what is the policy of his Department in respect to the granting of compassionate leave to soldiers in C.M.F. in the case of the serious illness or death of a wife in England;

(2) why No. 14503479 Sapper G. Davies, C.M.F., was refused compassionate leave to come home and see his wife who died in July, 1944, after many months' serious illness following childbirth, when her life was known to be in danger throughout; if he is aware that Sapper Davies was admitted to hospital after his wife's death suffering from shock; and whether compassionate leave can now be granted so that Sapper Davies may see his child and settle his personal affairs.

In view of the length of the answer to these Questions, I will with permission circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

In view of the fact that speed is extremely important in the case of soldiers whose wives are dangerously ill, will the right hon. Gentleman make representations to see that when they are granted compassionate leave by commanding officers aircraft facilities are available to take them home?

Will the hon. Member be good enough to read the answer before he asks supplementary questions, because after doing so, he will see that there is no evidence of the application having been received in the War Office until the soldier's wife was dead?

Following is the answer:

There is no compassionate leave granted from the Central Mediterranean Force to this country, though, as I stated in reply to a number of hon. Members on 6th February Commanders-in-Chief may in certain cases take compassionate circumstances into account in making up the ordinary leave quota. Men may, however, be posted home on compassionate grounds. Such postings are a matter for the Commander-in-Chief concerned, and a statement of the general policy followed in this matter was circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT in answer to several hon. Members on 7th November, 1944.

In the case of Sapper Davies, I am unable to discover any trace of application having been made for his return to this country before the death of his wife on 3rd July, 1944. As a result of a subsequent application, investigations were made which showed that his child was being well cared for by the soldier's parents. His mother receives guardian's allowance for the child. A full report on the case was made to the Commander-in-Chief to assist him in making his decision. He has not yet felt himself able to send Sapper Davies home. I have no information whether or not Sapper Davies was admitted to hospital suffering from shock after his wife's death. The circumstances would, however, be known to his commanding officer and would be taken into consideration when deciding whether Sapper Davies should be sent home.

asked the Secretary of State for War, in respect of which voluntary organisations sending women personnel abroad to service the Army, authorisation has been agreed for the premium to be accepted as a charge to His Majesty's Government in respect of individual insurance policies up to £500.

Public funds have accepted this charge directly or indirectly in the case of the Women's Voluntary Services, First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association and Incorporated Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Help Society.

Can my right hon. Friend say why, when I put that Question down in more general terms last week, he withheld that information?

After some experience of the hon. Lady, I would rather like to refresh my memory in the matter of withholding information. At the moment, I feel completely innocent about the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for War if arrangements have been made and approved for the provision of pumping and dredging machinery which will be required for the relief of flooded areas in Holland.

Yes, Sir. Considerable quantities of machinery are being provided for this purpose.

Have the Government considered the suggestion that an equal area in Germany should be allocated in respect of—

This Question deals with pumping machinery and not the allocation of territory.

asked the Secretary of State for War on whose authority Alfred Ignatz Maria Kraus, who came to this country from Paris in September 1944, was given permission to leave France; and whether he arrived in uniform and came by air.

So far as is known, this individual was not given permission to leave France; he arrived in British uniform which he was not entitled to wear, and came by sea. The officer responsible has been court-martialled.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he can say whether this man brought various proposals with him, if he made certain contacts in this country and whether he is a member of the Reichstag?

That I cannot say. I think the Home Secretary or his representative will answer those questions. I am concerned only with the breach of military discipline by which he was brought here.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a Nazi court at prisoner of war camp No. 22 in this country recently sentenced a prisoner of war to death by hanging for anti-Nazi propaganda, for membership of the Free German movement and for leading a working party; that he narrowly escaped being hanged accordingly by S.S. men; whether he is aware that two other anti-Nazis in the camp were attacked and injured; whether any other such courts have been operating; and what steps he is taking to stamp out Nazi activities in prisoner of war camps and to protect anti-Nazis.

I assume the hon. and learned Member is referring to Camp 21 where one prisoner of war was murdered. At any rate I have no information as to any such incidents at Camp 22. I referred to the incidents at Camp 21 in the answer I gave a number of hon. Members on 20th February. The suspected culprits in this case are being interrogated and so far four have been charged with the crime and will be brought to trial. A prisoner of war who was a witness in the case narrowly escaped being murdered and other witnesses were attacked and injured. Camp 21 has since been carefully screened and all known anti-Nazis removed. Ardent Nazis are segregated from other prisoners as soon as they are discovered and nearly a third of the German prisoners in our hands in this country have so far been removed from the rest as ardent Nazis.

Will the right hon. Gentleman accept my assurance that I am asking a question about Camp 22, and not about Camp 21? Probably the best course will be for me to put down the Question again, and let him have, unofficially, certain particulars.

I would be grateful to the hon. and learned Member if he would let me have more particulars. So far as my information goes, I am unaware of any such incidents at Camp 22.

In view of the concern shown in these matters both in the House and in the Press, can the right hon. Gentleman inform us when he is likely to meet the deputation, which I understand he is prepared to meet?

My difficulty about that deputation is that the question of segregation is only one of the matters mentioned in my hon. Friend's request for a deputation, and the rest of the questions he raises concerns other Departments, with which I am in communication. With regard to segregation, I have been pressing on in the meantime very earnestly. As the hon. Member will see from the figures I have given, we have done a great deal towards it already.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will issue a statement showing the scale of rations received by German prisoners captured by the British and American Armies, respectively, and comparing them with British civilian rations.

asked the Secretary of State for War if, at the conclusion of hostilities with Germany, German prisoners of war will be fed on the same scale of rations as British prisoners of war have been fed and the balance of the rations the Germans prisoners of war are now getting may be made available to the people of Europe whom the Germans have starved.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) if agreement between the United States and British authorities has been reached regarding the scale of rations issued to German prisoners of war so that a uniform scale of ration may be issued in place of the existing arrangement under which a German soldier taken by U.S. forces is given the U.S. ration, thus exceeding that provided for British troops; what is the approximate total number of German prisoners in the United Kingdom, and what is the depot ration demanded by the Geneva Convention, and how this compares with the U.S. ration and British civilian scale of food, respectively;

(2) whether, in view of the shortage of food supplies for the liberated populations on the Continent, immediate steps will be taken to reduce the scale of rations supplied to German prisoners of war to that which is considered adequate for British civilians and which approximates to the Army depot troops ration indicated in the Geneva Convention.

There are 196,000 German prisoners in this country, 27,000 of whom are in American hands. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT the daily quantities of food given to such prisoners in British hands in this country and on the Continent as well as the quantities of rationed items drawn by civilians here. No account is taken in the latter table of the foods which civilians buy on points, foods which are unrationed, or foods which are procurable in canteens and restaurants. I am not responsible for the arrangements made by the American Army but I am informed that the ration given to the German prisoners in American hands in this country and on the Continent is not dissimilar in total food value to the ration they receive if they are in British hands.

I should like to repeat that in this matter we are adhering to the Geneva Convention which lays down that the food ration of prisoners of war shall be equivalent in quantity and quality to that of the depot troops of the Detaining Power. This was not a treaty concluded by the British Government with the German Government, but is a multilateral International Convention accepted by a large number of Governments. Moreover, in considering suggestions to abandon the Geneva Convention in so far as it applies to German prisoners in our hands it is necessary to bear in mind that a large number of our prisoners are still in German hands. On the other hand I am clear that we must not do more than we need and I am examining the whole matter from this point of view.

Does the Geneva Convention hold only until a declaration has been made that the war in Europe is at an end?

I am not much of an international lawyer, but, speaking offhand, I think that prisoners of war retain their prisoner-of-war status until the conclusion of a peace treaty, and not only until the end of the war.

Has the right hon. Gentleman answered that part of one of the Questions which dealt with a common form of ration for German soldiers taken prisoner, which would be the same if they were taken by the British or by the American Forces?

I did not answer that specifically: I said that the two rations were not dissimilar in food value. I do not think it is worth while embarking on the extra refinement of having a precisely similar ration. As my hon. Friend knows, the supply systems and the administrative systems of the British and American Armies are absolutely different.

As the feeling about this matter has arisen largely because of the fear about what is happening to our prisoners in German hands, can the right hon. Gentleman give any assurance to the families of those prisoners that the Germans are observing the Convention to any large degree?

That is a very large question; it imports the capacity of the Germans to carry out any particular standard.

In view of the unsatisfactory condition disclosed, is it not possible to see if the Geneva Convention can be altered as soon as possible, in view of the gathering of the nations at San Francisco?

It will not have escaped my hon. Friend's attention that the Germans are not to be gathered at San Francisco.

Are the Japanese now abiding by the Convention? The right hon. Gentleman will remember that, although they signed it, they never ratified it in 1931.

I have made it clear on frequent occasions that whether the Japanese regarded themselves as bound by the Convention or not, they never made the slightest attempt to observe it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take note of the strong feeling in various parts of this House that we should make ourselves as much like Germans as we possibly can?

When a Convention has been deliberately broken by one party, ought the other party to consider themselves bound by it?

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can give any information about prisoners of war confined in Stalag XXB, near Marienburg, and Oflag 79, near Brunswick.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can give any information regarding camps XIA attached XVIIA and XVIIIA, both south of Vienna, working camps attached to XVIIIA and of Oflag VIIB at Eich-stadt, in Bavaria.

That is a very large, moral question, on which I would not like to enter here. But it is very doubtful whether this House would wish to imitate the Germans, or the Japanese for that matter, in the repudiation of international obligations.

Following are the quantities:

The two most important new items of information are those to which reference is made in this morning's newspapers, namely, the warnings issued by the Prime Minister, the President, and Marshal Stalin to Germans who ill-treat Allied prisoners of war and the agreement made through the Swiss with Germany that Allied prisoners close to the fronts should be left in situ to be recovered by the advancing armies provided that the Allies agree that they should not be returned to active service at the front. The number of British Commonwealth prisoners liberated by the Russians is 3,662, of whom 2,932 have sailed from Odessa. The number liberated in North-West Europe is about 30,000, of whom 23,000 have arrived in the United Kingdom. Of the 23,000, 6,400 are from the Dominions. The House will therefore see that the great bulk of our prisoners are still in Germany, most of them probably in Bavaria.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to get accurate and early information about individuals whether they have been released or are still in captivity. The tenuous signal system in forward areas is certain to be heavily strained with operational messages and the military authorities, in my view rightly, concentrate on sending back the recovered prisoners themselves rather than information about them. So far as those still in captivity are concerned we have to take into account the breakdown of communications and the constant movement of prisoners in unoccupied Germany. Moreover, we have recently captured the German Prisoners of War Information Bureau. I am afraid therefore that inquiries as to the whereabouts of individual prisoners of war cannot be fruitful at least for the time being. Such new information as I have about particular camps I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT, but it is given subject to the reservations I have just mentioned.

Does that mean that in the part of the reply that is circulated reference will be made to Stalag XXB? Oflag 79 has since been overrun; and we know about that, as a result of Questions that have been put down.

There is a reference to Stalag XXB in the circulated part of my answer.

Is it not possible for the right hon. Gentleman to make periodical statements, say, twice a week, giving the names of camps which have been liberated? It would save a lot of trouble to Members, who are constantly receiving letters.

I have already undertaken on more than one occasion, to give to the House any significant new information which comes into my hands. It is important that I should make clear the conditions under which that information is given.

Cannot my right hon. Friend arrange for the B.B.C. to publish in the 9 o'clock news, or at some other suitable time, every day during these tense periods, some information on these prisoner-of-war camps, in order to bring comfort to the relatives?

I will certainly consider whether it is possible to give information which can bring comfort, but the trouble is that a good deal of the information does not bring comfort. Unfortunately the majority of our prisoners are still in German hands.

Following is the information:

Oflag VA was evacuted by train on 31st March, the destination is stated to be Oflag VIIB, Eichstaedt.

Stalag XIIF has been moved to Wehrkreis VII in Bavaria.

Stalag XVIIA was evacuated on 1st April, the destination is stated to be Braunau on the Austro-German frontier.

Oflag IVC has been overrun and the prisoners liberated, except for certain selected officers who had been transferred before the arrival of the Allied Forces.

Four hundred and eighty prisoners from Stalag XXB were recovered in Marienburg by the Red Army. The rest were removed westwards, but no news has been received of where they are now except in the case of a few who reached Stalag IIE in Schwerin.

Oflag 79 was reached by the Allied Forces on 12th April. Close on 2,000 officers and 400 other ranks, most of them from the British Commonwealth, were released.

No information has been received with regard to Stalag XIA since the International Red Cross reported on a visit to this camp by one of their delegates on 6th February, 1945. The report stated that the camp was somewhat overcrowded.

There is no recent information about Stalag XVIIIA nor the work detachments dependent on it. I have received no information about Stalag VIIB since the reply I gave to the hon. Members for Maldon (Mr. Driberg) and Twickenham (Mr. Keeling) on 10th April.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will convey to, the American military authorities the gratitude of relatives in this country for the rapid way in which the American Army is repatriating by air British prisoners of war whom they have liberated during their advance and for the consideration and attention they have given them.

Yes, Sir. Our gratitude for all that has been done by our American Allies for our prisoners released from captivity is being conveyed to General Eisenhower.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many prisoners of war are now employed in work in connection with housing; and what use it is proposed to make of the large number of prisoners recently captured.

Over 2,000 Italian prisoners are employed on work directly or indirectly connected with housing; 45,000 Germans are already employed, mainly on agricultural and forestry work and the employment of more is under consideration. As already announced my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works is looking into the possibility of using prisoners of war particularly in connection with site preparation and other civil engineering work. My hon. and gallant Friend will, however, appreciate that this entails considerable problems particularly in the matter of providing guards and accommodation.

Surely it is possible to employ a much larger number of these prisoners, instead of keeping them in camps, eating their heads off and doing nothing?

If it is possible to employ them, they will be employed. I would like to remind my hon. and gallant Friend that it was he who, on one and the same day, demanded extended use of prisoners and complained bitterly of the number of prisoners who escaped because of inadequate guard.

Is it not possible to give them adequate guards?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why, in the case of the Tummel-Garry Hydro-Electric Scheme, he failed to carry out the recommendation of the Amenity Committee in view of his assurance of 6th May, 1943, that he would give this committee the strongest possible support.

The Government pledge to give support to every reasonable recommendation of the Amenity Committee has not been departed from; but whether or not any or all of the objections of the Amenity Committee should be supported, and to what extent, must be decided after the report of the Tribunal appointed to inquire into the whole scheme has been received. My right hon. Friend has transmitted copies of the reports of the Amenity Committee and the Fisheries Committee to the Tribunal.

Does my right hon. Friend recollect that the Secretary of State promised that he would appoint the strongest possible amenity committee, and that every reasonable recommendation made by the committee would be strongly enforced and backed by the Scottish Office; and is he satisfied that he has got the strongest possible committee and will he see that their recommendations are strongly backed before the public inquiry which opens to-morrow?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent the preparation of roads for housing sites in Scotland is being delayed, due to the shortage of labour.

My right hon. Friend is advised that contractors' demands for labour for site preparation are being met with little delay except in one or two areas. The difficulty in these areas arises, he understands, from lack of accommodation for directed workers, but the Department of Health for Scotland and the Ministry of Labour are doing everything they can to overcome these difficulties through their welfare officers and by securing the use of some accommodation in hostels occupied by other Ministries.

Can my right hon. Friend tell me whether Kirkcaldy is one of the areas?

Yes, Sir, Kirkcaldy happens to be one of the areas. Labour shortages were almost negligible there up to 15th March, when the outstanding demand had jumped from 15 in the previous week to 73, and at the moment there are 120 vacancies.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will reconsider his decision not to publish the figures for the number of manshifts and tonnages lost by various causes; and for what reason he cannot have the figures revised to bring them into line with those of previous years instead of suspending publication altogether.

The decision to which my hon. Friend refers applies only to manshifts lost. Tonnages lost by various causes, and by districts, will be published in the usual way. Publication of the figures of manshifts lost has been suspended only until comparable series have been established.

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. May I draw your attention to the fact that if the hon. Member for Motherwell (Mr. McIntyre) had been here the House would not have got away with only one supplementary question on Scottish affairs?

The hon. Gentleman is in error in raising this as a point of Order.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that the output per manshift worked for the year 1938 is given in the Statistical Summary of the Mines Department for that year as 22.96 cwts., and in the Digest issued by his Ministry as 22.40 cwts.; and whether, as this makes it impossible to draw a comparison between the output per manshift worked in pre-war years with the corresponding figures issued since the formation of his Ministry, he will have them revised so as to restore the basis of comparison.

The reason for the difference between the two figures was set out in detail in the note appended to Table 5 of the digest published in July last. Returns for earlier years do not cover the whole industry and there is always the difficulty of excluding the shifts worked by men in coal mines who are engaged on minerals other than coal. In the table which has been prepared for the next issue of the Statistical Digest the figures for 1938 to 1942 have been recalculated on a different basis, i.e., from the statutory annual returns made by collieries with an allowance for manshifts not worked on coal.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is now able to make a statement as to the further use of the hostel at Rotherham; and whether, in view of the shortage of housing in that area and the general overcrowding in the district and the failure of his Ministry to make use of the buildings, he will hand them over to the local authority.

After further consideration of all the circumstances, I have come to the conclusion that the Rotherham hostel will not now be required for the accommodation of miners. The disposal of the hostel is a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Works, who is, I understand, considering using it for the accommodation of Dutch refugee children.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he has any statement to make concerning the progress of the efforts to combat the disease of pneumoconiosis among coalminers.

Following the report of the Advisory Committee on pneumoconiosis, I am pleased to be able to inform my hon. Friend that arrangements have been made between my Ministry and the Medical Research Council for further investigations into the cause, prevention and treatment of pneumoconiosis. The Council in conjunction with my Ministry have undertaken to establish and maintain a research centre in South Wales, and have appointed Dr. C. M. Fletcher to direct the work. He will take up his duties on the 1st June, 1945, and it is hoped to provide a small number of beds at a selected hospital. Additional physical and chemical investigations and reports will be made by H.M. Inspectors of Mines and other members of my staff. A joint committee of the Ministry and the Council has been appointed to assist in the development and co-ordination of the whole scheme of research.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the number of underground workers lost to the coal industry by reason of silicosis and pneumoconiosis from 1939 to date; and what is the number certified as disabled and as having died as a result of these diseases.

Figures are not available of the number of workers lost to the Industry by reason of silicosis and pneumoconiosis, but I am informed that the number of new cases of silicosis and pneumoconiosis certified by the Silicosis Medical Board for total disablement and suspension from the industry on account of these diseases, between 1st January, 1939, and 31st March, 1945, was 6,483, and that during that period 647 death certificates were also issued by the Board. These figures include a relatively small number of surface workers certified under the Coalmining Industry (Pneumoconiosis) Scheme, 1943.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that industrial discontent is being caused because coal merchants are contending that they are unable to meet increases of wages, which are paid to other road transport workers, through their margins being insufficient; and will he be prepared to meet representatives of the Transport and General Workers' Union on this question.

No evidence has been brought to my notice of industrial discontent among employees of coal merchants. Wage questions are, of course, a matter for negotiation between representatives of employers and employed in which it would not normally be proper for my Department to intervene.

If the Transport and General Workers' Union submits some evidence that there is discontent as a result of the smallness of this margin, would the right hon. and gallant Gentleman then consider meeting the representatives of that Union in order to avoid any trouble in the future?

If I may say so, surely the first step would be for the employees to approach the employers and it is after that that the employers approach me if the margin is too small.

Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman know that during the war the gross margin of the distributors in the South Eastern Region increased only by 8 per cent., while the wages they have had to pay have increased by something like 40 per cent., and prices by something like 100 per cent.?

The hon. and gallant Gentleman is giving information, not asking a question.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that men who lost a leg in the last war are being refused petrol to get to and from their work; and whether he will authorise an issue of petrol in such cases forthwith.

Where a person furnishes a medical certificate that he is suffering from a disability which makes it impossible to travel by public transport, a petrol allowance is granted for the journey from his home to his place of work.

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that a man in this category furnished a medical certificate but was refused petrol, and as the number of one-legged ex-Servicemen with cars must be very small, could he do something to remove the feeling they have that their country has forgotten them when they see much younger men driving home from their work in cars?

I do not accept the last part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question. I have no knowledge at the moment that a medical certificate was forwarded to me but I will have the matter inquired into.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why the allocation of leave petrol by his Department is static and has no relation to the length of overseas service of the applicant.

The object of the Active Service Leave Allowance is to grant petrol to men on leave from overseas with the minimum of delay after their arrival and it has not been found practicable to provide a scale based on the length of service abroad.

But here is a master in the Merchant Navy who has had continuous service for over four and a half years. Why cannot he get a proper sliding scale for all that service abroad, and who decided that practice?

As far as the Services are concerned, my hon. Friend will appreciate that I am the agent for giving the petrol, and it has not been found practicable to have a sliding scale of that kind.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power, in view of the shortage of coal, whether any provision is being made for the greater use of oil fuel before next winter.

The use of oil fuel to assist the coal position must depend on Service demands, and I am not at present able to say what measure of assistance it may be possible to provide in this way.

In view of the bleak prospects for coal in the coming winter, are any preparations being made, when the war in Europe terminates, to switch from coal to oil?

A great deal has been done during the present war to switch from oil to coal and back from coal to oil as the situation develops, and I can assure my hon. Friend that I have this very much in mind.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is yet in a position to publish the decision arrived at as a result of the inquiry which was held in December last respecting the establishment of a power station at Kepier, near Durham.

The inquiry to which my hon. Friend refers was held jointly by the Ministry of Town and Country Planning and the Electricity Commissioners, and an announcement will be made shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the opportunities for improving the amenities and working conditions in the cotton industry have been used during the war.

Licences for equipment to improve the amenities and working conditions in the cotton industry have been granted to the maximum extent which war-time demands on labour, capacity and materials have permitted. During the ten months ended the 31st January last, 98 applications to acquire dust removal and air-conditioning plant were granted and only four refused; since then all applications have been granted.

Is it not a fact that all applications which have been granted have been used to full advantage, and in these circumstances can the right hon. Gentleman say in what way he considers his recent speech at Chesterfield, as reported in the Press, in which he made an attack on conditions in the clothing industry, can be said to be helpful in obtaining the necessary labour at the present time?

I said, what is quite true, that cotton operatives are reluctant to go back from munitions to cotton spinning.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when photographic films of the types usually sold to the public will again be available.

Owing to the heavy demands by the Services, only small quantities of film can as yet be released for civilian use. But I have made special arrangements whereby members of the Forces and their families can be photographed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take to prevent an abnormal rise in rents for offices and workshops in the future, in view of the great shortage of these buildings due to enemy action and the cessation of building construction during the war period.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given him by my right hon. and gallant Friend on 12th April, to which I have nothing to add.

Does that reply mean that it will be possible for landlords to raise the rents of offices and buildings to any level, without any restriction at all? In view of the great shortage of office accommodation now, and the still greater shortage that will come about at the end of hostilities, does not the right hon. Gentleman think such action would be very undesirable?

We have at the present time no powers to deal with these rents. Legislation would be required, and I doubt whether at this stage of the Session we could count upon the possibility of obtaining time for it.