§ 21. Captain BERKELEYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the present position regarding the Ruhr Valley occupation; what negotiations he has had with the Allies regarding the separatist movement in Germany; and whether the Expert Committee on Reparations has made any report?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs regards the first part of the question, direct negotiations between the French and Belgian Governments on the one side and the German Government on the other side, regarding the regime in the Ruhr, are stil1 in progress. As regards the separatist movement in occupied territory, I trust that negotiations between His Majesty's Government and the French and Belgian Governments which have been in progress ever since my Government took office, will shortly be satisfactorily concluded. For the moment, I would prefer, if the House would allow me, to postpone any detailed statement, in order not to hamper the negotiations. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. RONALD McNEILLIn view of the right hon. Gentleman's reply that these negotiations have been going on ever since the formation of his Government, does he mean by that to imply that the negotiations now going on are continuous with those which were in operation?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe right hon. Gentleman knows how these questions are put into one's hand. I am very sorry if anything should have slipped from me which would have implied that I started the negotiations. I took them over at a certain point, but I have continued them.
§ Mr. H. H. SPENCERCan the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that the policy of His Majesty's Government is that Germany shall pay reparations up to her capacity?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is a larger question.
§ Captain BERKELEYWithout asking the right hon. Gentleman to violate his wish not to give details, may 1 ask if he can say whether what was referred to as the blockade of the British zone is now abated?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, I -can say that is very considerably abated. I hope, however, that the House will allow me to carry the negotiations to a further stage before making any definite statement.
§ 36. Sir F. WISEasked the Prime Minister what was the production of coal, iron, and steel from the Ruhr for 1923 and 1924, respectively.?
Mr. WEBBI have been asked to reply. Information as to the production' of iron and steel in the Ruhr during 1922 and 1923 is not available. The output of coal in the Ruhr during 1922 was 94,583,000 metric tons. For 1923 there is no official information, but a rough estimate from an unofficial source places the output at about 40,000,000 tons.
§ Mr. REMERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a large quantity of steel lying in the Ruhr, and what does he propose to do when it comes to this country?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat does not arise.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIs the estimate of output of coal from the Ruhr for 1923 that given by the French Government recently in Paris propaganda, or is it an estimate formed in this country?
Mr. WEBBIt is an estimate compiled in this country from various sources of unofficial and necessarily inexact information on the spot, but it is formed in this country.