§ 3. Mr. DAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to a troupe of six girls who were lately engaged in this country for an engagement to appear in cabaret in Brussels, Ghent, and Luxembourg, and on arrival at Brussels were left stranded; and can he state whether the usual inquiries were made before passports were issued to this troupe to allow them to take up this engagement?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONThe answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative. The matter has been taken up with the agency in this country which arranged for the girls' employment in Brussels.
§ Mr. DAYHow far do these inquiries go? Is it not a fact that several of these cases have been brought to light in the last year, and that these girls run the risk of being pushed into the white slave traffic when they get abroad?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONI am afraid I cannot go into other cases, but careful inquiries are being made into the particular question referred to by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. DAYWhat inquiries are made before passports are granted for the girls to leave, and not after they have met with these unfortunate experiences?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONThe hon. Member knows that there is the Variety Artists' Federation, and, before giving passports, the Passport Office makes careful inquiry of that Federation.