§ MR. F. S. STEVENSON (Suffolk, Eye)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will use their best endeavours to secure the remission of import duty upon the stores purchased by private persons and sent to Crete from the United Kingdom and from other countries for charitable distribution to the distressed islanders; and whether he is able to communicate to the House any particulars of the relief granted to the Cretans by the British Government and distributed by the officers of Her Majesty's ships?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYThe Council of the Admirals have, on the recommendation of the Consular Corps at Canea, sanctioned the importation free of duty into Crete of corn, flour, and food products intended for gratuitous distribution to the distressed peasants. They have also sanctioned for a limited period the free importation of sulphur for the vines. Steps have been taken to ascertain whether a further consignment of sulphur about to be sent from this country can be imported free of duty. No detailed 964 account has been received of the distribution of relief granted by Her Majesty's Government. The management of the fund has been left to the discretion of Her Majesty's naval officers and Colonel Chermside, and Her Majesty's Government are confident that those officers have made the best arrangements possible for the distribution of the money entrusted to their care.