HC Deb 22 February 1944 vol 397 cc633-5
16. Major Stourton

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare the approximate ton-

higher than those set out in my answer of 9th November, 1943, to my hon. Friend the Member for Kensington South (Sir William Davison). Judging by the rate of exactions during the past 3–6 months the annual amount at present being paid to Germany by the occupied countries as occupation costs, exports for which no return is made, or other purposes, is estimated at nearly £2,100 million. This figure takes no account of exactions levied in the U.S.S.R., Luxemburg, in Greece or in those parts of Poland, France or Belgium which are, for fiscal purposes, incorporated in Germany. It also takes no account of sheer loot, nor the destruction of property, nor of injury to persons.

Annual levies on each country in total and per head of population are estimated as follow:

(NOTE.—Local currency has been first converted into R.M. at the official clearing rate. The R.M. figures thus obtained have been converted into sterling at the rate of 13½ R.M.=£1.)

nage of iron-ore exported by Sweden to Germany since the outbreak of war and the percentage increase of such exports for the years 1940, 1941, 1942 and 1943, as compared with the last four years pre-war average.

Mr. Foot

Since the beginning of 1940 Sweden has exported approximately 34,000,000 tons of iron-ore to Germany. As compared with the average exports in the four years 1935–1938 there was a percentage increase of 15 per cent. in 1940, 2½ per cent. in 1941, a decrease of 4 per cent. in 1942, and an increase of 15 per cent. in 1943. Total exports during these four years to enemy countries other than Germany and to enemy-occupied countries were approximate 3,000,000 tons.

Major Stourton

What steps are the Government taking to discredit this extensive trading with the enemy?

Mr. Foot

If my hon. and gallant Friend will look at the answer which I gave on 25th January to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Epsom (Sir A. Southby), he will see that there have already been considerable reductions in Swedish trade with Germany, and it has recently been announced that under this year's trade agreement Swedish exports of iron ore to the Axis are to fall from 10,000,000 to 7,000,000 tons.