Oral Answers to Questions — British Army. – in the House of Commons at on 17 December 1941.
Sir Charles Lyle
, Bournemouth
asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the present procedure with regard to employing on the land prisoners of war in this country; how many sections of them are not being asked to do such work; and what, in such cases, is the reason?
Mr Duncan Sandys
, Lambeth Norwood
In addition to the prisoners of war already held in the United Kingdom, arrangements have been made for large numbers of Italian prisoners to be brought from the Middle East. Of those who have already arrived, a large proportion have been allotted to agriculture. The rest are employed on work of other kinds, including the construction of accommodation for future arrivals.
Sir Charles Lyle
, Bournemouth
Is there any truth in the statement that Italian prisoners of war are not expected to work on saints' days?
Mr Duncan Sandys
, Lambeth Norwood
I have not heard of that, but I will inquire about it.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
