HC Deb 10 August 1916 vol 85 cc1201-2
7. Mr. EVELYN CECIL

asked whether His Majesty's Government is satisfied that the funds of the National Committee for Relief in Belgium are in fact devoted to the relief of loyal Belgians in the occupied territory, and not to that of Germans or of Belgians working for the German Army; and whether the Government will continue to take steps to ensure the application of the funds to the purposes for which they were given?

Lord R. CECIL

The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative. The work in the so-called "Zone of Occu- pation" in Belgium, under civil government, which comprises the bulk of the occupied territory, is now proceeding under satisfactory guarantees covering all domestic food produce. In certain respects violations of these guarantees by the Germans still arise, but the United States, Spanish and Netherlands Representatives at Brussels, as patrons of the Relief Commission, are taking energetic steps, and the Germans are well aware that a continuance of such violations will endanger the whole work. In the military zone, d'Etape, comprising East and West Flanders, and in the French provinces, the question of domestic supplies has been put on a clear basis by a demand made by the Allied Governments that the yield of the coming harvest shall be reserved for the civil populationֵ This demand is being and will be energetically pressed. In the whole territory His Majesty's Government are satisfied that the foodstuffs imported by the Relief Commission run no risk of appropriation by the enemy.

Mr. PRINGLE

Do they not indirectly set free supplies which are of advantage to the Germans?

Lord R. CECIL

I would not like to say that that never happens, because it is dangerous to speak so absolutely, but I do believe that on the whole the House may rest assured that the precautions taken are satisfactory.

Mr. WARDLE

Is it a fact that the Germans are now deporting women from Belgium?

Lord R. CECIL

I do not know how far that policy has been applied to Belgium. It has been applied in France, and a terrible and scandalous state of things has arisen.

Mr. SHIRLEY BENN

Are we to take it the Government are still satisfied that the funds collected by the National Relief Commission for Belgium should be handed over to the neutral Commission for administration?

Lord R. CECIL

The Government are fully satisfied.