§ 20. Mr. G. TERRELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will furnish a list of the German-owned or partly owned firms which in the view of the Departments dealing with munitions should be protected from the operations of the Committee dealing with the winding up or sale of enemy firms?
§ Mr. PRETYMANNo firms are protected from the operations of the Committee, but the Departments concerned with munitions of war have in some cases represented to the Committee that the business should be kept alive for national purposes. The Committee have in these cases usually advised that the business should not be wound up under Section of the Act, but that the enemy interest should be vested in the custodian for sale to British purchasers under conditions which will secure permanent British control. I propose shortly to issue a statement of the work of the Committee up to date which will show how many firms have been dealt with in this manner.
§ Mr. TERRELLIn the meantime will the right hon. Gentleman furnish a list of these firms who have been protected and let us have some information about them?
§ Mr. PRETYMAN.In my reply I have already announced that the number of firms dealt with in this way will be shown in my statement.
§ Mr. STUART-WORTLEYThe number is not the same thing as the list.
§ Mr. PRETYMANPossibly I may give the names of those particular cases.
§ Mr. TERRELLI asked not for a list of those who have been dealt with but for a list of those firms who have been protected from the operations of the Committee.
§ Mr. PRETYMANNo firms have been protected from the Committee. Reports have been made to the Committee, and they have full power to consider each case on its merits. What I have undertaken to do is to make a statement showing which firms have been dealt with in that way, and the firms which have been exempted by the Committee from Section 1.