§ 97. Sir J. HARMOOD-BANNERasked the President of the Board of Trade if the prohibition from Belgian, Russian, and French subjects bidding for the British Petroleum Company and other enemy concerns in this country will now be removed, and terms of sale settled in accordance with the terms of the contract for sale of the Nigerian assets?
§ Mr. PRETYMANThe answer is in the negative.
§ Sir J. HARMOOD-BANNERIs it not the fact that considerable selection is exercised in the persons entitled to purchase enemy concerns in this country?
§ Mr. PRETYMANIn certain cases it is necessary to exercise some selection in British interests.
§ 106. Mr. GWYNNEasked whether a controller or supervisor has been appointed in connection with the firm of Siemens Brothers in the London branch; and, if so, what is his name?
§ Mr. PRETYMANMr. F. J. Young of Messrs. Turquand Youngs and Company, Chartered Accountants, is the controller of Siemens Brothers and Company, Limited.
§ Mr. GWYNNEIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this firm has been shut up in Australia? Why is it allowed to trade here?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must give notice of that question. If he has his supplementary questions ready it is quite easy to put them on the Paper.
§ Mr. PRETYMANI think the House is perfectly aware that the industry carried on by this firm is essential in this country, and if the firm was closed a product which is valuable would be lost to this country. It is proposed to transfer it to persons who will make use of it in the British interests.
§ Mr. GWYNNEThis branch of Siemens Brothers is carrying on an export business, and is not the one which is essential to this country.
§ 112. Major HUNTasked whether the Steaua Romana Company was before the War the most important oil concern in Roumania, and if it was controlled by the Deutsche Bank; and whether this German-controlled company claims to be interested in the British Petroleum Company, the shares of which were vested in the Public Trustee on the 2nd August last?
§ Mr. PRETYMANThe Steaua Romana Company was an important oil company in Roumania, and was, I believe, controlled by the Deutsche Bank. The company does not hold shares in the British Petroleum Company, Limited, but it holds a large number of the shares of the Europaische Petroleum Union, which held the shares of the British Petroleum Company, Limited, until they were vested in the Public Trustee.
§ 113 and 115. Major HUNTasked (l)when the Board of Trade proposes to authorise the Public Trustee to sell the shares in the British Petroleum Company and so stop profits being taken from the British public to be held in trust for Germans until peace is declared; and (2) whether the Board of Trade intend to authorise the sale of German interests in the shares of the British Petroleum Company, Limited, by public auction or private tender or how; and whether neutrals and the subjects of our Allies will be permitted to bid 798 for the shares in accordance with the principle laid down by the House of Commons in its vote on the sale of lands in Nigeria?
§ Mr. PRETYMANThe shares of the British Petroleum Company, Limited, belonging to enemies will be sold by the Public Trustee As I stated, in reply to a question asked by the hon. Member for Plymouth on 9th November, the question of how best to deal with these shares in the national interest is under consideration, and I am not at present prepared to-state what method will be adopted for the sale. Neither the shares nor any of the profits arising on them are being held in trust for Germans, but will be an asset in the hands of this country at the end of the War.
§ 114. Major HUNTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the properties and businesses of the Steaua. Romana Company and the Astra Romana Company have with other oil concerns been sequestrated by the Roumanian Government on account of trading with Germany and Austria during the War; and whether the Shell Transport Company, Limited, and its associated companies still retain their interest in about 67 per cent. of the capital of the Astra Romana Company?
§ Mr. PRETYMANI have no information as to the grounds on which the Roumanian Government have sequestrated any oil businesses carried on in Roumania. I am informed by the Shell Company that it and its associated companies retain their interest in the Astra Romana; Company.
§ Major HUNTDoes the hon. Gentleman know that it has been sequestrated? Do I understand him to say that he knows nothing about it?
§ Mr. PRETYMANIt has been sequestrated, but we do not know the grounds on which it has been done.
116. Sir H. DALZIELasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, under the conditions of sale of enemy businesses in this country, it is possible for a friendly alien to purchase; and whether this is the settled policy of his Department?
§ Mr. PRETYMANThe conditions of sale of enemy businesses in this country provide, in accordance with the general policy of the Board of Trade, that purchasers must be British subjects or 799 British-controlled companies, but exceptions can be made to this rule when necessary in the national interest.
§ Mr. GWYNNEHave any exceptions been made so far?
§ Mr. PRETYMANYes.
§ Mr. GWYNNEWill the hon. Gentleman give the list?
§ Mr. PRETYMANI do not think it is desirable to make a statement now. I am quite prepared to give my hon. Friend particulars if he will come along. A case I have in mind is of an important character.
§ Sir E. CARSONWere they naturalised Germans?
§ Mr. PRETYMANNo. They were not naturalised Germans.
§ Sir J. HARMOOD-BANNERIs it a fact that this process of selection by the Board of Trade—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member had better put down any further questions.
117. Sir H. DALZIELasked whether the firm of Soldan and Company, Limited, 8, Baldwin's Garden, Holborn, E.C., is a British firm; and whether this firm is still selling printing type of German manufacture in competition with British type-founders?
§ Mr. PRETYMANOne half the shares in Soldan and Company, Limited, are held by a German subject. An Order has been made requiring the business to be wound up, and the controller is preparing to offer the business for sale. Pending the sale he has supplied matrices of German manufacture in order that British purchasers of machines sold before the War might be able to continue to use them. He was unable to get the type manufactured here though he endeavoured to do so.