asked the Home Secretary whether he can say on what dates, round about the beginning of the war, Mr. D. F. Springhall left and returned to this country?

My information is that Mr. Springhall left London on 19th August, 1939, on a boat sailing for Leningrad, and arrived back on 24th September, 1939.

Can my right hon. Friend say what was the declared purpose of the business of Mr. Springhall?

So far as I know, there was no declared purpose, and, of course, it was a pre-war journey under the ordinary passport arrangements.