Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 13 May 1947.
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
12:00,
13 May 1947
None of the 450 prisoners of war employed by the R.A.F. at El Adem were there before October, 1945. Prisoners in the Middle East have been informed of the system of repatriation. Classes for the study of English, geography, political history and economy are held, and there are also ample facilities for recreation. I understand that the great Majority of these prisoners are content with the living conditions and amenities at El Adem and do not desire posting elsewhere before their repatriation. Three hundred will be repatriated during the next six months.
The term "majority" is used in two ways in Parliament. Firstly a Government cannot operate effectively unless it can command a majority in the House of Commons - a majority means winning more than 50% of the votes in a division. Should a Government fail to hold the confidence of the House, it has to hold a General Election. Secondly the term can also be used in an election, where it refers to the margin which the candidate with the most votes has over the candidate coming second. To win a seat a candidate need only have a majority of 1.
