asked the Secretary of State for War whether, until such time as there may be currency reform in Germany, he will arrange for prisoners of war to receive a larger proportion of their pay in English money than is now available to them, it being a case of hardship on repatriation for men to find the official rate of exchange into marks leaving them with virtually no worth while savings resulting from their work in this country.

The arrangements announced by my predecessor on 24th June last included provision for prisoners to draw a larger proportion of their earnings in English (including token) money provided they were good workmen and worked at least 40 hours a week. I do not consider that any change in these arrangements is called for.

In view of my right hon. Friend's reference just now to the fulfilment of the terms of the Geneva Convention, will he recollect that those terms laid down that prisoners of war shall receive the same conditions of treatment as our garrison troops, and as our garrison troops in Germany get an exchange of 40 marks to the pound, will he please arrange for prisoners of war to get the same rate of exchange?

I am not sure that that is accurate.

Will the Secretary of State bear in mind in this connection that these prisoners of war, like British working men, will not give their best work without proper incentive?

In fact, they are doing very well.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that with all the hardships which these prisoners of war are having to endure, an ex-prisoner now in the mines in the Ruhr appealed, in a broadcast last Sunday, to all prisoners of war already in this country to stay here as long as they can?