§ 7. Mr. Robert Gibsonasked the Prime Minister what are the nature and quantity, and what is the value of the rolling stock alleged by the German Government to have been removed from the Sudeten-German area; and what is the present position regarding the German Government's claim against Czechoslovakia in this matter?
§ Mr. ButlerFull details on this matter are not available. The function of the International Commission was to lay down the principles according to which the term "existing installations" in Article 2 of the Munich Agreement should be interpreted. The Commission was not concerned with the application of these principles, which was entrusted to a special German-Czech Commission.
§ Mr. GibsonAre road motor vehicles included in the definition or interpretation of that term?
§ Mr. ButlerI should like to have notice of a question on that particular point, but it does include such movable material as are necessary to the normal function of the installation.
§ 16 and 17. Brigadier-General Spearsasked the Prime Minister (1) whether he is aware that the German Government is now demanding further areas of Czechoslovak territory, notably in the neighbourhood of Bratislava, which were not included in the Godesberg demands; and whether these demands have been approved by the International Commission and agreed to by the Czechoslovak Government;
(2) whether, in view of the fact that the German Government is demanding further areas of Czechoslovak territory, he will instruct the British representative on the International Commission to demand as compensation the return to Czechoslovakia of equivalent areas where the new frontier on the German side includes compact districts and important towns with large Czech majorities?
§ 31. Miss Wilkinsonasked the Prime Minister whether he can make a statement concerning the recent decision of the International Commission in Berlin whereby a further 100 villages with a population of 50,000 Czechs have been transferred to the German Reich?
§ Mr. ButlerThe International Commission agreed at its last meeting that proposals for the final delimitation of the frontiers should be submitted to it by the Czech and German Governments, and negotiations have taken place between the two Governments. My Noble Friend's attention has been drawn to Press reports that various territorial readjustments are being considered in connection with these negotiations, but he has received no precise official information as to their nature. The result of these negotiations is shortly to be brought before the International Commission for their consideration, and until further information is received, I am not prepared to make any statement.
§ Brigadier-General SpearsIn view of the fact that Herr Hitler told the Prime Minister that he did not want to rule over any but Germans, may he not now be reminded of that statement when it is proposed that some 60,000 Czechs should be annexed?
§ Mr. ButlerPending the receipt of precise information about this proposal, I am afraid I could not answer the hon. and gallant Gentleman's question.