HC Deb 30 November 1916 vol 88 cc486-7
110. Mr. BUTCHER

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the fact that the protection given by Clause 6 of the Trading With the Enemy Proclamation of 9th September, 1914, to branches in British, Allied, and neutral countries of enemy firms has been withdrawn as regards firms carrying on insurance business, branches outside the United Kingdom of enemy banks, and branches in China and certain other neutral countries of enemy firms; whether he can state what useful purpose was served by inserting Clause 6 into the Proclamation originally, and what useful purpose will be served by retaining that part of the Clause which still remains unrepealed; and whether he will now repeal the Clause in to to?

Mr. PRETYMAN

This is not a matter which can be satisfactorily dealt with by question and answer, but as I have already informed my hon. Friend, I shall be glad to discuss with him the advantages and also the difficulties of a repeal of the Clause to which he refers.