asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the attempted purchase of £3,000,000 worth of oil from the Mexican Government by a British-owned firm called Centralamer, Limited; whether the company in question is in receipt of any British Government subventions or subsidies for tramp shipping; and whether he can say where is its registered office?

Reports, some of which have mentioned Centralamer, Limited, have appeared in the Press of purchases of oil by a British company from the Mexican Government, but I have no official information of the transaction. No payment of tramp shipping subsidy has been made to Centralamer, Limited, whose registered office is at 49, Leadenhall Street, E.C.3.

Can the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say when that company was registered, as it has not appeared in the ordinary list?

If the right hon. Gentleman will put that question down, I will find out.

Can the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say whether this oil is really designed for Japanese aggression in China?