asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether ordinances passed by the Rhineland High Commission with the object of furthering the French policy in the Ruhr and to which the British representative on the Commission has refused his consent, are applicable to the British area in Rhineland?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Caithness and Sutherland on the 5th instant.

Mr. CHARLES BUXTON asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that the Inter-Allied Rhineland High Commission is claiming to exercise jurisdiction over certain territories on the right bank of the Rhine, that His Majesty's Government are advised that this claim is not justified by any provision of the Treaty of Versailles or of the Rhineland Agreement, and that the attention of the French Government has been called to the matter, he can now state whether any reply has yet been received; if so, what is the nature of such reply; and what steps His Majesty's Government propose to take to avoid responsibility for this action of the Commission?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative; the second therefore does not arise. As regards the last part of the question, the hon. Member has already been informed that His Majesty's High Commissioner has on behalf of His Majesty's Government disclaimed all responsibility for that decision in which he took no part.

asked the Tinder-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the black French troops in the occupied area are billeted in private houses or in barracks?

I am not in a position to give the House any information respecting the billeting arrangements made by French military authorities.

Will the hon. Gentleman make inquiries and find out, because it is contrary to public opinion that black troops should be used against white people?

Hear, hear!

Without expressing any opinion upon the statement of the hon. Member, I think he will see that it. would be very unbecoming for us to make such inquiries.

Why use white troops against white people?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the number of French troops in the original occupied area of Germany; and what are the approximate number of French troops in Germany to-day, including the occupation of the Ruhr and Upper Rhine districts?

I have been asked to reply. In round figures the number before the occupation of the Ruhr was 91,000. It is now 116,000.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Little Entente has made any proposal to occupy any part of Hungarian territory with a view to exacting the payment of reparations; and whether the British Government have expressed their opinion on the proposal?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The second part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British Government has been consulted in regard to any proposal that Serbia should occupy any part of Bulgaria in order to enforce the payment of reparations; and what answer or comment has been made on the proposal by the British Government?

The question of enforcing the observance by Bulgaria of her Treaty obligations under the Treaty of Neuilly has formed the subject of confidential consultation between the Allied Governments. It is not in the public interest to publish the particulars of such confidential discussions.

Are there any signs that the Serbian Government intend to behave in the same way as the French Government?

I do not quite follow the hon. Gentleman's question.

Is there any risk of Serbia following the Ruhr precedent?

Wait and see.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that Eastern Galicia is placed under the sovereignty of the principal Allied Powers by Article 91 of the Treaty of St. Germain, he will take immediate steps to secure that the Council of Ambassadors shall define the powers pertaining to the Polish military occupation of that country, and set up some authority to supervise the execution of such powers?

The question of Eastern Galicia is now being considered by the Ambassadors' Conference.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any information with regard to the isolation of the British area in Rhineland by Belgian and French troops; and whether communications between Cologne and Berlin have now to pass through a French or Belgian zone?

I have been asked to reply. In regard to the first part of the question, I am not aware in what sense the hon. and gallant Member uses the word "isolation," but no interruption of military communications or other military inconvenience is caused to the British area by the circumstance that it is adjoined on three sides by areas occupied by other Allied troops. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative.

Is it not a fact that Allied troops—French and Belgian—have occupied the neutral zone which used to be between the British area and the German area, contrary to the Treaty of Versailles, thereby cutting us off from direct access to Berlin without passing through the ranks of our Allies?

I have already answered that question.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Rhineland High Commission has passed an ordinance transferring the control of all the Rhineland railways to a Franco-Belgian civil administration; and what action the British Government has taken in the matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, though, as the House has already been informed, the railways in the British zone will not come under this control. No action has been taken in the matter by His Majesty's Government, the British representative on the Rhineland Commission already having instructions to abstain from taking part in any measures or decisions arising out of the French and Belgian independent action.

Does this Franco-Belgian administration of the railways affect in any way the traffic over the parts of the railways which lie in the British zone?

I should not like to say that it does not affect it in any way, but I do not think it affects it in any vital way. The administration goes on exactly as before. There may be a certain amount of interference.

In what respect can the railways in the British zone be said to be exempt?

Because they are not under the management of the French and Belgian authorities, and they are being conducted by German personnel as before.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that vessels on the Rhine containing goods consigned to, and paid for by, British importers are being held up by the French at Duisburg-Ruhrort, and that British importers are having to pay a 10 per cent.ad valoremduty and other charges in order to obtain their goods; and whether, in view of the growing irritation of the business community and the damage to British trade caused by this action, he will make immediate representations to the French Government on the matter?

Arrangements have been concluded between His Majesty's High Commissioner and the local French and Belgian authorities whereby all export goods for British firms which were despatched before 20th February will be released immediately, provided that export duties at the old rates have been paid either to the Germans or to the Allied authorities. This decision applies to the old occupied territories, as well as to the ports of Emmerich, Duisburg and Ruhrort, where goods for British traders have been held up.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government will endeavour to enter into an arrangement with the Government of Italy for the nationals of the two kingdoms to cross their respective frontiers without the necessity of visas, as is the case already with France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Holland, and especially in view of the well 'known fact that the Italian Government desires this arrangement?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar question asked by the hon. and gallant Member for Bilston in this House on 21st February last (No. 12).

Is the Government prepared to give facilities for the abolition of visas in any country with which they negotiate?

If my hon. Friend will refer to the answer to which I have just alluded he will see what has been done.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the number of years for which a passport holds good without renewal for citizens of the United States of America, for France, and for Belgium; and what the cost of renewal is in each instance?

United States passports, issued at a charge of 10 dollars, are valid for one year, and can be renewed for a further period of one year free of charge. French passports are valid for one year, at a charge of 12s., Belgian passports, for two years, at a charge of 2s. 3d. They are not renewable.

Is there any reason why a passport should have a time limit when it has been granted once?

That is a conundrum which the hon. Gentleman will, perhaps, put to someone else.