§ 4. Mr. ANNAN BRYCEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that numbers of the people of Serbia are every day dying of starvation and the remainder becoming so enfeebled from want of food as gravely to diminish the possibility of renewing the population; whether offers of efficient distributing organisations have been made by two sets of neutrals; whether the services of Serbia to the allied cause deserve at least as much recognition by way of aid as those of Belgium; and whether he can now make any statement with regard to the provision by His Majesty's Government of help to Serbia?
§ Lord R. CECILI have no official information as to the first part of the question, but I cannot doubt, in view of past experience of the way in which the enemy treats the population of occupied territories, that the state of Serbia is very grave. In regard to the second part of the question, His Majesty's Government have received various proposals, but none which gave any particulars or any guarantee of an effective organisation for distribution and control. The answer to the last part of the question is that His Majesty's Government have demanded from the German and Austrian Governments that the latter shall provide adequately for the civil population of Serbia, Montenegro and Albania 2370 in return for facilities for the relief of Poland. That demand has been published, and we await a reply.
§ Mr. BRYCEIf nothing comes of the request to the Austrian Government, does our Government not propose to do anything?
§ Lord R. CECILWe obviously can do nothing in Serbia without the consent of the Austrian and German Governments.
§ Lord R. CECILOf course, entirely with their consent and by arrangement, not with us but with the American Embassy.
§ Mr. BRYCEMay I ask if the Noble Lord has any hopes that something will be done with the consent of the Austrian Government?
§ Lord R. CECILI do not know at all what will be the result of the pourparlers. With respect to the general question of Serbia, I have had an opportunity of seeing representatives of those interested in this question, certainly on one occasion, and I rather think on more than one occasion, and I have always informed them that we are waiting a definite scheme which shall give particulars and a guarantee of an effective organisation for distribution and control, but I have never received such.