asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state the acreage of the territory in Europe claimed by France and Italy which was in the possession of the Central Powers at the outbreak of hostilites?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Questions Nos. 22 and 23 on 23rd January.

In view of the fact that the right hon. Gentleman says that he has no information, how can I get the information as to the area when I do not know what territory is being claimed?

The questions which the hon. Gentleman asks are quite obviously outside the affairs for which T am responsible. I think that he can find out for himself. At all events, I have no means of finding out which he has not.

If the right hon. Gentleman does not know the area which is claimed, he could, perhaps, tell us what the territory is, and then we could find out the area. This reply is another piece of Foreign Office trickery.