§ 59. Mr. Thorneasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare if he can give any information about the 1,000,000 tons of merchant shipping given to the Axis Powers by the French; and whether he has any information as to who will man the ships, Frenchmen or Germans?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare (Mr. Dingle Foot)I have seen reports to this effect in the Press, but I have not been able to obtain confirmation of them. Since the Franco-German Armistice five French and five Allied vessels have been handed over by the Vichy Government to Germany or Italy. As regards the transfer to Japan of French ships in Far Eastern waters, I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend on 23rd April.