asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs how many applications from British manufacturers have been made to the Canadian Tariff Board; and how many decisions have been made?

His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have requested His Majesty's Government in Canada, in pursuance of Article 13 of the Agreement concluded at Ottawa, to cause a review to be made by the Canadian Tariff Board of 25 tariff items or parts of items. As a result of the reviews made up to the present date, the British preferential duties have been reduced in two cases, and increased in one case.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether a decision has yet been reached with regard to the wool textile industry and whether it is correctly reported that the Canadian Government have refused to make any concession to the wool textile industry?

I do not think that a final decision has been reached.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether any arrangement has been made by which the decisions of the Canadian Tariff Board may be available to Members of this House?

Certainly, I will consider that matter, because I think that it will be very useful.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now state what steps he proposes to take to assist British shipping to meet subsidised foreign competition?

Consultations are continuing actively, but there are many interests to be considered. I hope to be able to make a statement on this subject in the near future.

Will the right hon. Gentleman impress upon the Government and shipowners that while they are coming to a decision in this matter 87 per cent. of the shipbuilders on the Wear are unemployed on account of the shipping depression?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to make any further statement with regard to the views placed before him by the Japanese Ambassador on 17th May last, as to the measures announced to be taken in the Colonial Empire to deal with Japanese competition?

No, Sir; not yet.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Government are proceeding with measures they intend to adopt in the meantime?

We are taking all the preliminary steps which are necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the adverse position of our trade with Spain, it is the intention of the Government to open negotiations for a new commercial treaty with that country?

The possibility of initiating commercial negotiations with Spain is being borne in mind, but I cannot at present say at what date it may be possible to reach a decision.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the Government of Spain are desirous of opening negotiations with this country with a view to arriving at a new commercial agreement?

I am afraid that I can express no opinion upon that point.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has induced the Spanish Government to remedy certain exchange restrictions and to reduce the gold surcharge increases of the duties upon British exports to Spain; is he aware that most-favoured-nation arrangements confer no benefits upon British trade with Spain; and will he take steps to delete most-favoured-nation clauses in Anglo-Spanish trade agreements?

Exchange control in Spain has not in the past led to any serious difficulties. Certain recent changes have, however, been made in procedure which appear to have led to delays in settlement, and the matter is being investigated. The gold surcharge on Spanish duties is applied to imports from all countries, and no request has been made by His Majesty's Government for a reduction. As regards the second and third parts of the question, I am unable to agree with my hon. Friend that the most-favoured-nation clause in our Treaty with Spain secures no benefit for our trade. In fact in many cases the duties levied in Spain on goods from countries not possessing treaty rights are much higher than those we enjoy by virtue of the clause.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that the German Government has placed severe restrictions upon the import of British herring, he will make representations to the German Government in the matter?

I presume my hon. Friend has in mind the recent general reduction in the amount of foreign exchange permits issued to German importers of many classes of goods, and I would refer him to the reply which I gave on 31st May to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for Banff (Sir M. Wood), to which I am at present unable to add.

In view of the fact that the German Government are simultaneously refusing to pay interest on their private debts and imposing severe restrictions on all imports into their country, does not the right hon. Gentleman think that the time has arrived when he ought to make very forcible representations to the German Government?

I think that the German Government are fully aware of our views on the matter.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether those restrictions apply to the import of aeroplane engines into Germany?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the latest information as to the percentage increase or decrease of exports of manufactured goods from the Port of Liverpool?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the statement furnished in reply to his question of yesterday.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many mercantile ships are building in British shipyards and the aggregate tonnage; what was the number of ships built and the tonnage in 1920 and 1930; and what action he intends to take to bring about a revival in the shipbuilding and allied industries?

On the 31st March, 1934, there were under construction in the United Kingdom 107 vessels of 100 tons gross and upwards, their total tonnage being 481,440 tons gross. The corresponding figures for 31st March, 1920, were 618 vessels of 2,055,624 tons gross, and for 31st March, 1930, 481 vessels of 1,478,563 tons gross. The position in the shipbuilding and allied industries is dependent, of course, on the position in the shipping industry, and on the orders given by shipping firms and companies for new vessels.

The President of the Board of Trade has not replied to the last part of my question:

"What action he intends to take to bring about a revival in the shipbuilding and allied industries."

I want to ask him what reply he has to make to that?

The shortest reply is that we hope to stimulate the placing of orders by shipping firms and companies.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will issue a complete list of all arms, ammunition, and implements of war which are subject to an export licence?

The information desired by my hon. Friend was published on pages 526 and 527 of the Board of Trade Journal of the 5th April last, of which I am sending her a copy.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he has any information as to the number and value of remounts purchased by foreign military authorities in Great Britain and the Irish Free State, respectively, during 1933?

No, Sir.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that a number of men in the Territorial Army are penalised by loss of their annual holiday and in some cases by loss of their employment by attending their annual training camps; and whether he will take steps to induce employers to facilitate the attendance of Territorials in their employ?

I am glad to say that in many cases employers facilitate attendance at camp. Territorial Army Associations and Commanding Officers take all possible steps to induce employers to cooperate in this matter.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether water-diviners are being employed by the Army authorities with a view to discovering additional water-supply sources on Salisbury Plain; and what other steps have been taken to discover water?

Yes Sir. As it is necessary to sink a new bore hole the-opportunity is being used to obtain a. practical test of water divining. The services of civil engineers and geologists in Government employment are also being used.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in view of paragraph 56 of the report of the board of inquiry into certain statements affecting civil servants (February, 1928), stating that a civil servant may not so order his private affairs as to allow the suspicion to arise that a trust has been abused or a confidence betrayed, he will cause inquiry to be made into the case of the Military Secretary to the Secretary of State for War, who is the largest ordinary shareholder in a private banking company which in 1929 purchased a firm on the lists of the War Office, the Admiralty, and the Air Ministry, and which is closely associated with the manufacture of armaments, and which banking company since that date has subscribed all the new capital for that firm?

No, Sir, I see no reason for causing any such inquiry to be made. The appointment of the distinguished officer to whom the question apparently refers has recently terminated, but I may add for the hon. Member's information that the post of Military Secretary has not the remotest connection with the purchase of armaments.

Is the Financial Secretary aware that the firm referred to in the question, a Sheffield firm, is one which went into liquidation during the period of office of the late Government because of foreign dumping; has now been reorganised and is slowly regaining prosperity under import duties?

May I ask whether the resignation of this gentleman took place since the Financial Secretary knew of this question being on the Order Paper?

No, Sir. He has not resigned; his appointment has terminated, as I have already said.

But terminated since the Financial Secretary knew this question was to be asked?

No, Sir, terminated in the ordinary course of his duties. It was a four years' appointment and was terminated long before.

Why is the Financial Secretary to the War Office so angry in his replies?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if any steps are being taken in the present season to deal with the increasing loss of sheep stock and grazing land brought about by the spread of bracken?

The committee which has been actively investigating the possibility of improving existing methods of eradicating bracken are proceeding with their inquiries, and have arranged for demonstrations of different methods to be given in the course of the present month. I hope to receive a report from them on the result of their investigations as soon as possible thereafter.

Is it intended to publish the report in view of its importance to the sheep-farming industry of Scotland?

It will depend on the character of the report and whether a satisfactory method bas been found.

Have the Government considered offering a reward or devising a scheme for dealing with this matter?

We have chosen a body of scientific and practical men and have asked them to apply their minds to this matter, and I think the report we shall receive will throw further light on a difficult question.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is yet in a position to announce the outcome of the negotiations with the representatives of the herring industry; whether the contemplated agreement is calculated to increase the earnings of fishermen; and whether, failing agreement, the Government propose to take any steps to assist the industry in the present season?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps the Government proposes to take in order to assist the herring fishing industry?

In reply to these questions I am not yet in a position to make a statement about the proposals which the herring industry have put forward, but I hope to do so in the very near future.

Can the Secretary of State say when he expects the Sea Fish Commission to issue its first report?

I am afraid not before the Session ends.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can obtain the figures from the Scottish and English herring exporters and state the extent to which the Anglo-Russian trade agreement has resulted in increased sales of salt herring to the Soviet Government since 1st January, 1934?

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given on Thursday last by the Secretary of the Department of Overseas Trade, who stated that the Soviet purchasing authorities have agreed to buy 70,000 barrels of herring. I understand that prior to this no purchases have been made since 1932.

Does this not show that the claims of the Liberal party in regard to the Anglo-Russian Agreement are all falsified?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the committee on sheep stock valuations has yet submitted its report; and, if so, when the report will be made public?

I have not yet received the report of this committee, but I understand that its work is well advanced.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now in a position to state the Government's policy with regard to the importation of subsidised foreign oats?

As the hon. Member is aware, the import duty on foreign oats was increased to 3s. per cwt. as from 13th January last. The imports of foreign oats during the three months February to April, 1934, showed a reduction of about 50 per cent. as compared with the corresponding period last years while taking April alone this year's figure was only about a tenth of that for last year, and these imports were entirely from Argentina, where no arrangement is in force for subsidising the exportation of oats.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the price farmers are receiving for oats has not risen in spite of the duty?

I think there has been little alteration in the price of oats, but prices are firmer.

Is it not the fact that the price of oats, although it may be firmer, is quite unremunerative; and does the Secretary of State propose to take any further action in the matter in view of the fact that it is the policy of the Government to put the price for oats and beef on a more remunerative basis?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a large quantity of oats still in bond which cannot be disposed of even at the cost of production?

The hon. Member knows that the duty was imposed only a few months ago. The imports have been largely restricted, and I think it would be better to wait until we see the results of the Government's policy before considering any further measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will inform Parliament if he has considered the report from the committee of investigation regarding the complaints of excessive summer charges by the Scottish Milk Marketing Board; what action he intends to take to reduce prices in accordance with the requests of the co-operative societies, the Scottish Socialist party, and other organisations acting oh behalf of consumers; what action is to be taken regarding the protest from Greenock against the increase in the price of milk during the summer months; and what the effect of this increase will be on local charitable institutions?

The Committee of Investigation for Scotland have not yet reported to me on the subject. With regard to the last part of the question, complaints by charitable institutions are at present under consideration by the Consumers Committee for Scotland in accordance with the provisions of the 1931 Act.

Will the right hon. Gentleman use his influence with the Cabinet, with a view to seeing that the extra supply of milk is given to the schoolchildren free of charge?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any action has been taken with regard to the appointment of a Departmental Committee to investigate the subject of vagrancy in Scotland?

My right hon. Friend has appointed a Committee on this subject.

The members of the Committee are as follow:

Sir John Lamb, K.C.B., LL.D. (Chairman), lately Under-Secretary of State for Scotland.

George Cruickshank, Esq., County Clerk of East Lothian.

G. P. Laidlaw, Esq., Chairman of Glasgow Council for Community Service in Unemployment.

Provost William Wells Mabon, Jedburgh.

Miss Dorothea Maitland, Welfare worker among vagrants.

Lieut.-Colonel D. Mathers, D.S.O., O.B.E., Secretary to the British Legion (Scotland).

Adam Smail, Esq., Department of Health for Scotland.

Charley Tinker, Esq., Member of County Council of Inverness.

Joseph Westwood, Esq., lately Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland.

Mr. George Marshall, of the Department of Health for Scotland, has been appointed Secretary to the Committee.

With my hon. Friend's permission, I will print the terms of reference in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Are there more vagrants in Scotland than in England?

Did the hon. Gentleman make any attempt to get any representative of the vagrants on that committee?

How is it that we do not get any answers to these very pertinent questions?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the extremely serious position of the farmers in the North-east of Scotland has been brought to the notice of the Government; and if they have considered the advisability of giving some form of temporary assistance to the producers of oats and beef until the price received for these products has reached a remunerative level, in view of the fact that it is the declared policy of the Government that farming must be made to pay?

I am aware of the representations which have been made on this subject. With regard to the marketing of oats I would refer to my reply to-day to my Noble Friend the Member for Perth (Lord Scone). As regards beef, the Government has the meat situation, under active consideration in the light of the recommendations made in the recent reports of the Fat Stock Reorganisation Commissions.

I did not catch the answer to the first part of the question. My question was whether the matter had been brought to the notice of the Government?

Yes, Sir.

In regard to the price of oats, if it be the case that the lowness of that price is due to the stocks that are in the country, why is it that when the duty was first raised by 3s. prices rose as high as 18s. and have now dropped below 14s.?

I think I dealt with that point in detail in reply to a supplementary question put by another hon. Gentleman. I will send a copy of my answer to my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the general demand in Scotland that the Government should take over the financial responsibility for able-bodied relief as from 2nd July; and if he intends to take action in this matter in accordance with the desires of local authorities?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the 18th May to a question by one of the hon. Members for Dundee (Mr. Dingle Foot).

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of examinations made at collieries by workmen's inspectors appointed under Section 16 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, in each of the inspectorate divisions of England, Scotland and Wales, for the years 1932 and 1933, giving the number of accumulations of firedamp reported during such examination?

As I have a long reply to give, including a tabular statement, with the hon. member's permission, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the reply contain a statement as to whether or not His Majesty's Inspectors of Mines have an opportunity of verifying the reports of the workmen's inspectors?

My hon. Friend had better await the long statement which I propose to circulate.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will give details in regard to the figure of 600,000 tons of coal which have been consumed as a result of the duty on heavy hydrocarbon oils, showing the amounts due to transfers from oil to coal, coke, gas, electricity, and creosote, respectively; and how much he estimates will be similarly transferred in the current year?

The details of the estimated figure of over 600,000 tons per annum given by the Coal Utilisation Council, and quoted in my answer of 17th May, are as follow in tons per annum in terms of coal:

Coal	…	…	316,000
Coke	…	…	83,000
Electricity	…	…	7,000
Gas	…	…	99,000
Coal oil	…	…	103,000
Total	…	…	608,000

As regards the second part of the question, I am not able to supply an estimate of future conversions although, from the information given to me by the Coal Utilisation Council, it appears that they are likely to represent a substantial quantity of coal.

Does not the hon. Gentleman think, in view of the detriment caused to trades which have to use taxed oil, that it is desirable for the information of this House that these statistics should be obtained?

I shall be glad to discuss that question with the hon. Member.

How many extra miners have been employed as a result?

My hon. Friend can use his own judgment in accordance with the usual rules.

Is it not a fact that there is a sharp divergence of opinion between the Coal Utilisation Council on the one hand and the oil users and various other interests on the other; and is it not to the national interest that the Government should have an impartial inquiry to find out the facts?

I cannot debate that question now. I am answering the question which has been put to me.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty on what dates, for what purpose, for what periods, and in what numbers since the Great War, officers and men of the British Navy have been lent in an advisory capacity to foreign Governments?

Between the years 1926 and 1933 British officers were lent to Chili in an instructional capacity, the numbers employed being originally five, increasing to seven and finally dropping to one. A British naval mission was serving in Greece at the official termination of the War and a fresh mission of 17 officers and seven ratings was sent out shortly afterwards. This mission returned in 1923 and smaller missions have since served from November, 1924, to May, 1926, and from March, 1927, to August, 1932. One officer was lent to the Nanking Government in an advisory capacity from 1931 to 1933; two officers in succession have been employed by the same Government to supervise Chinese cadets undergoing courses of instruction in this country; and two officers are employed at the Naval College at Mamoi, one of them being an officer on the Active List who relieved a retired officer in the same capacity. One officer is at present employed as naval adviser to the Finnish Government, having been appointed in 1929. All the foregoing were appointed for the same purpose, namely, to develop and train the naval service of the country concerned. In addition an officer was lent to Rumania in 1929 to advise on the development of a port.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, with regard to the recent enlistment of 100 ex-officers and naval ratings in the Colombian navy, how many of these are on the reserve, and how many asked for and obtained the permission of the Admiralty to go?

I assume that the number of 100 mentioned by the hon. Member is that of a party mentioned in the Press on the 14th May as having sailed from this country on the 12th May. The total number of officers and men who are serving in the Colombian navy with the permission of the Admiralty is 130, of whom 13 are officers on the retired list and 117 are naval pensioners. In addition, 55 men now serving in that navy were formerly members of the Royal Fleet Reserve, but were granted their discharge on entering the Colombian service.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any communication was received by the Foreign Office from the Government of Colombia with reference to the arrangements recently entered into whereby 100 British ex-officers and naval ratings have joined the Colombian navy for a period of two years?

Yes, Sir. The Colombian Chargé d'Affaires inquired on the 5th February last (1) whether His Majesty's Government would see objection to the engagement of certain British subjects, who had previously served in the Royal Navy, under a direct contract with the Colombian Government, to navigate two destroyers which had recently been acquired by that Government across the Atlantic to Colombia, and (2) under what conditions these ex-officers and men could continue to serve in the Colombian Navy in the event of Colombia becoming involved in war. I replied on the 6th February (1) that there was no legal objection to the Colombian Government entering into a direct contract with British subjects for the purpose of the navigation of the vessels to Colombia and their delivery to the Colombian authorities; but (2) that it would be contrary to the Foreign Enlistment Act of 1870 for any British subject to accept any commission or engagement in the military or naval services of any foreign state at war with any other foreign state which is at peace with this country; and (3) that His Majesty's Government would see serious objection to any contract which the Colombian Government might conclude with any British subject being drawn in such a way as to constitute an agreement by such British subject to remain in the service of the Colombian Government in the event of Colombia becoming involved in war. I subsequently received a communication from the Colombian Government informing me that, under the terms of their contracts with these individuals, the parties concerned could not be called upon to undertake any duties which would be contrary to their obligations as British subjects and, furthermore, that the Government of Colombia would not in fact invite these ex-officers or ratings to perform any service or duty other than those provided for in their contracts.

Does not that really mean that in the event of hostilities breaking out between Colombia and another country, such as Peru, as seems possible, the only competent people on the ships would immediately have to leave?

It means exactly what my answer clearly conveyed to the hon. Gentleman. There is no ground whatever to suggest that the British Government have been party to enlisting any British subjects for the purpose of taking part in any war.

Does it not create an impossible position for British subjects to be serving in a foreign navy seeing that they have to leave it the moment war breaks out?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will consider the introduction of legislation making the use of silencers obligatory on privately-owned aeroplanes?

No, Sir. My Noble Friend is wholly in sympathy with the object in view, namely, the elimination of all avoidable noise in flying; but it would be altogether premature at present, and indeed useless, to make the fitting of silencers legally obligatory. Silencers would diminish the noise from the engine but would not affect that from the propeller, and they would have the disadvantages at once of impairing the efficiency of the aircraft and of increasing the risk of fire. The whole question is under active consideration and it is hoped that the technical progress which has been and is continuing to be made will have the effect eventually of solving this very difficult problem.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the satisfactory operation of the East African and Palestine air-mail service for the past three and five years, respectively, and the rapid development of internal air communications in those territories, he will take steps to urge that the advantage of these air-mail services may be enjoyed by all classes of the community and not confined to that small section which can afford the present high air-mail surcharge rates?

I am afraid that I am not in a position to add anything to the latter part of the reply given yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hertford (Sir M. Sueter), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer upon what terms the British Government borrowed £1,000,000,000 in 1917 from the United States?

$2,500 millions, or about £500,000,000, was borrowed during 1917–18 mostly in the form of 6 per cent. demand obligations: this sum formed part of the $4,600 millions funded in 1923: see Command Paper 1912.

Is it a fact that the British Government undertook to pay in gold certain large sums at short-term notice?

Perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will put that Question down.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can now make a statement on the subject of the American War Debt?

It had of course been my wish that the first announcement on this subject should be made to the House of Commons, and that there should be simultaneous publication of our Note to the United States Government in London and Washington this afternoon. Owing to a misunderstanding, for which the American Government was in no way responsible, the terms of our Note which was delivered at 8 p.m. yesterday by our time were issued in Washington a few hours later in the evening.

The House will recollect that His Majesty's Government in their Note of 1st December, 1932, gave a full statement of the reasons which convinced them that the system of inter-Governmental War Debt obligations as it existed before the Hoover Moratorium could not be revived, and that a radical revision of the existing settlements was essential. The United States Government, in their Note of 7th December, 1932, welcomed the suggestion for a close examination of the whole subject between the two countries. His Majesty's Government paid the instalment due on the 15th December, 1932, in gold, explaining that this payment was not to be regarded as a resumption of the annual payments under the existing agreement, and that it was made because the United States Government had stated that in their opinion such a payment would greatly increase the prospect of a satisfactory approach to the whole problem. Discussions took place both in the spring and in the autumn of last year, but it was not found possible to arrive at a settlement acceptable to the two Governments. On 15th June and 15th December, 1933, His Majesty's Government made token payments in acknowledgment of their debt and on each occasion the President of the United States expressed the personal view that he would not regard His Majesty's Government as in default.

His Majesty's Government would have been prepared to make a further payment on the 15th instant in acknowledgment of' the debt and without prejudice to their right again to present the case for its readjustment, on the assumption that they would again have received the President's declaration that he would not consider His Majesty's Government in default. But they understand that in consequence of recent legislation passed in the United States such a declaration is no longer possible, so that the procedure adopted by common agreement in 1933 cannot be followed on the present occasion. In fact, our Ambassador was informed by the United States Administration on the 11th May that any Government failing to pay in full the instalment due under the existing Agreement on 15th June would have to be regarded as in default; and on 25th May, 1934, the Treasury of the United States addressed a communication to His Majesty's Government setting out the details of various items including arrears of $196 millions due last year and amounting altogether to the sum of $262 millions (or over £50,000,000) due on the 15th instant.

His Majesty's Government were, therefore, in the circumstances which I have described, faced with the alternative either of paying this sum of £50,000,000 in full and of paying a further sum of over £20,000,000 on the 15th December next (that is to say, over £70,000,000 for the current year), or of suspending all interim payments pending the final revision by agreement of the existing War Debt settlement. The first of these alternatives would necessitate a corresponding demand by His Majesty's Government from their own war debtors, for it would not be possible to contemplate a situation in which this country would be called upon to resume payment of their war obligations to others in full while continuing to suspend all demands for the payment of the War obligations due to the United Kingdom. The resumption of full payments to the United States would therefore revive the whole system of inter-governmental war debt payments, and would postpone indefinitely the chances of world recovery. After full deliberation His Majesty's Government came to the conclusion that they could not assume the responsibility of adopting a course attended by such disastrous consequences.

Accordingly, they have addressed to the United States Government a Note of which copies will be available in the Vote Office immediately after Questions. In this Note His Majesty's Government, after briefly restating their views on the whole question of the War Debt, have informed the United States Government that, while deeply regretting the circumstances which have imposed upon them the necessity for such a decision, they have concluded that they must suspend further payments until it becomes possible to discuss the ultimate settlement of inter-governmental war debts with a reasonable prospect of agreement. His Majesty's Government have again made it clear that they have no intention of repudiating their obligations, and will be prepared to enter upon further discussion on the subject at any time when in the opinion of the President of the United States of America such discussion would be likely to produce results of value.

May I ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the House an opportunity of discussing the statement?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will address the question through the usual channels. I have not considered that.

Can the Chancellor give an assurance that there will not be a repetition of the misunderstanding under which the proposals of His Majesty's Government were given to the Press before they were given to this House?

I cannot possibly give an assurance that there will never again be a misunderstanding.

Can he not prevent a repetition of such misunderstanding?

It arose apparently out of the misunderstanding of a telegram. We cannot prevent misunderstanding arising occasionally in the interchange of messages between one country and another.

Would the Chancellor of the Exchequer be prepared to issue a White Paper showing the total amount of debt owing to America at the first onset, the principal and interest that has to be paid and the debts of other countries owing to this country?

I think if the hon. Member will look at the White Paper he will see some of the information which he requires.