§ 7. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked whether of the 718 interned enemy subjects engaged in business here and re ported to the Board only 51 were wound up; and how many are still being carried on?
§ Mr. WARDLEAs stated in my answer on the 18th of last month to the question asked by the hon. Member, the number on the interned list supplied by the Home Office was 423, not 718; while the number on the exempted list was 295, making a total of 718 cases, which is the number referred to by the hon. Member. Of these cases 51 businesses have, as stated in my previous answer, been ordered to be wound up. It is quite impossible to say how many of the remaining businesses are being carried on. A great many of them were of trifling importance, such as bakers, barbers, etc., in regard to which inquiries were not considered necessary.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSAs this House has directed that these businesses should be wound up, will he consider the necessity of winding them up, whether they are large or small?
§ Mr. WARDLEThe hon. Member himself, in the Debate on the Second Reading of the Bill dealing with this subject, said that in the case of small businesses of this character it would not be necessary to wind them up.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSI am afraid that the hon. Member studies my speeches too carefully.