27. Sir F. HALLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any official information showing that the manager of a German firm at Moscow has been placed in control of the Ministries of Trade and Industries, Transport, and War Supplies, and that as a result of this Germans are being given important appointments in these Departments; and if, in view of the stimulus which is thus given to German trade and the position of British trade owing to the diminishing outlet for home manufacture, he will state what, if any, practical action the Government intend to take in the matter?
§ Sir H. GREENWOOD(Department of Oversea Trade): I have no official information on the subject, but my attention has been drawn to a letter from the Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of North Russia, which appeared in the Press on 10th July, stating that Mr. Krassin, a German citizen and the manager of a large German firm, had accepted the control of the Ministries of Trade and Industries, Transport, and War Supplies in Moscow, conditionally upon being allowed to introduce a number of other Germans into those Departments.
As regards the second part of the question, I must refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend the Member for Luton gave on the 17th July to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull.
Sir F. HALLDoes the hon. Baronet appreciate the importance of the point of these Germans being appointed in Russia, and, if the Department has not any official information, will it find out whether this is being done?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe importance of the question and the facts in the answer are fully appreciated by the Government.