Oral Answers to Questions — Prisoners of War – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 11 Chwefror 1947.
Sir Douglas Dodds-Parker
, Banbury
12:00,
11 Chwefror 1947
asked the Secretary of State for War how many German and Italian prisoners of war, respectively, remain in the Middle East and North Africa under British control.
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
At 31st January approximately 90,000, all of whom are German prisoners.
Sir Douglas Dodds-Parker
, Banbury
May I ask what action is being taken to repatriate these men? At what rate are they going back to Germany?
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
I think the next Question deals with that point.
Mr Quintin Hogg
, Oxford
What is the basis on which these men are retained at all? Does it not use up manpower to guard them, and what possible right in humanity have we to keep them?
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
They are part of the whole picture. We have a far larger number in this country. All of them are being repatriated fairly speedily.
Sir Godfrey Nicholson
, Farnham
That does not answer the Question at all. Are they performing any function in the Middle East?
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
They are pretty fully occupied.
Sir Toby Low
, Blackpool North
What are they doing?
