I should like to reinforce what has been said by my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Hollis), and to concentrate on the white paper which has been promised and which has been held up for far too long. It is really intolerable that many hundreds, and possibly thousands, of citizens of this country, who have been dispossessed by the War Office and other Defence Ministries, should not know whether or not they are going to be allowed to return to their own homes. I can speak with a certain lack of prejudice, because in my Constituency the War Office have returned battle areas, but there are many battle areas in East Anglia not returned to their owners. Promises were made during the war by both the War Office and the civil authorities that this land which was taken over was only for the period of the war, and that once the war was over these areas would be returned to the original inhabitants.

Those were solemn promises made by responsible officers as well as responsible civilian officers. Still those promises have not been redeemed by the War Office, and I should like to know what are the reasons for those pledges being dishonoured. Two years after the war with Germany was concluded, it is not to be expected that a Government should dishonour pledges made during the war. It is quite intolerable that one single citizen in this country should be in that position. It is worse when we remember it is not one single citizen, but hundreds and possibly thousands of citizens who are so placed. The land was taken over on a solemn pledge that it would be handed back. Now we are informed not only that it is going to be retained, but that larger areas around are to be taken over, so that the battleground should be made larger and more effective. All I ask is that, as a result of this debate on the Adjournment Motion, we should have some assurance from the Under-Secretary that we are to have definite information at an early date as to where we stand. We all feel most deeply that the Government have no right to delay this matter any longer.