§ 36. Mr. PENNEFATHERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty is still doing business with Holzapfels, Limited; if so, whether any percentage of the resultant profits to that company! still goes to persons of enemy birth who left this country since the outbreak of war; if so, where these persons have resided and now reside; and if they can withdraw their share of the profits from this country?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAs regards the first part of my hon. Friend's question, I have recently been assured by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade that the enemy interests in this company have been practically eliminated. In the circumstances, the Admiralty propose to resume business transactions with the firm if and when occasion arises. As regard the other parts of the question, my hon. Friend should make inquiry of the Board of Trade.
§ Mr. PENNEFATHERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that I do not refer in my question to enemy interests, but to two specific shareholders in enemy firms naturalised in this country, who left the country at the outbreak of war, and who, I was informed by the Board of Trade across the flood of the House some time ago, hold 24 per cent of the shares in this company?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI will put the matter again to the Board of Trade, but it is only quite recently that the whole question of the resumption of transactions with the firm was gone into between us and the Board of Trade.
§ Mr. PENNEFATHERIs the House to understand that the Admiralty have had no business transactions with Holzapfels, Limited, between October, 1916, and the present day?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am not aware of the dates, but I know that some papers came before me the other day having reference to a proposal to put them again on our list.