§ 50. General Sir George Jeffreysasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps are being taken, or will be taken, totally to dismantle all German arsenals, aircraft factories and naval dockyards; and whether all German industries capable of being used for the production of armaments and munitions will be controlled and, if necessary, closed down.
§ The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. John Hynd)It was agreed at the Potsdam Conference that all arms, ammunition and implements of war and all specialised facilities for their production in Germany should be held at the disposal of the Allies, or destroyed. This decision is being implemented in full by H.M. Government in the British Zone of Germany and good progress has been made. The answer to the second part of the Question is "Yes, Sir."
§ Sir G. JeffreysIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it was the failure effectually to dismantle and close down these various establishments that was largely responsible for Germany being in a position to make war again in 1939, and will he accelerate the process of dealing with those places and with the German war potential?
§ Mr. HyndI am afraid I cannot give an affirmative answer to the last part of the question, because the process is being accelerated as much as possible in present conditions.