§ 28. Mr. JOHN BECKETTasked the Secretary of State for War the personnel of the Commission sent to Oppau to inquire into German methods of fixing nitrogen from the air; whether the State bore all or any part of the expenses; and whether any members of the Commission are still in State employ?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI do not think it desirable to publish the names of the members of this mission. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative, and to the third part in the negative, so far as I am aware.
§ Mr. BECKETTAre the members of the State Commission now employed by Messrs. Brunner, Mond and Company?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThat I do not know.
§ Mr. BECKETTWill the right hon. Gentleman inquire into that?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSIf the hon. Member asks me a question on that, I will consider what answer I will give to it.
§ Mr. HARDIEIs the information that was obtained by the gentlemen who returned to this country being held secret by the Government, or being used and handed out to private firms?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSNo, Sir, it is not being held secret by the Government. There is a further question on the Paper, the answer to which will answer the second part of the hon. Member's supplementary question.
§ 30. Mr. BECKETTasked the Secretary of State for War whether the Report received from the Commission sent to Oppau to inquire into German methods of fixing nitrogen is still in the hands of the 224 War Office; and whether any private firms or individuals have had access to it or have a copy of the whole or any portion of it?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part of the question, under the agreement for the sale of the Government factory at Billingham the purchasers acquired the right to have placed at their disposal any information in the possession of the Government bearing upon the manufactures intended to be carried on in the factory, which would include the information regarding the fixation of nitrogen.
§ Mr. BECKETTMay I understand from that that the Minister assures the House that in his personal knowledge the Report is in the hands of the Foreign Office?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI have seen a copy of it this morning at the War Office.
§ Mr. HARDIEAre we to understand that the Government are at the expense of investigating a process for extracting nitrogen from the air, and instead of making it, they hand it over to private enterprise?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSNo, the information was sold with the factory to the purchasers of the factory, who made use of the information.
§ Mr. BECKETTWhere was the copy the right hon. Gentleman saw supplied from?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSIt is the Report of a Commission or Committee sent out for the purpose.
§ Mr. N. MACLEANWhat is the name of the individual or firm who purchased the property, and now possess this secret which the Government took so much trouble to get?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member had better put that question down.