§ 44. Mr. Draysonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reconsider the application of the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division for permission to remit £5,000 to France to be spent on erecting a War Memorial at Rauray.
§ 50. Mr. Mott-Radclyffeasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the recent decision to allow the transfer into French francs of the £1,000 collected by the Scottish Branch of the National Union of Mineworkers for the French miners on strike, he will reconsider the application in respect of £5,000 subscribed by the 49th (West Riding) Division to erect a war memorial in Normandy.
§ Sir S. CrippsNo. I regret that I am unable to reconsider the application. I am, however, prepared in this and similar cases to allow £500 to be remitted either in goods or in cash, for a temporary memorial.
§ Mr. DraysonDoes not the Chancellor think that a memorial to commemorate those who fought for freedom and democracy is a more worthy cause than support for those who are fighting against it?
§ Sir S. CrippsI am not dealing here with the merits of the cases but with the amounts of money. If this were allowed for one case, it would obviously have to be allowed for a great many other cases.
§ Mr. Mott-RadclyffeCan the Chancellor of the Exchequer explain to the House on what basis it was considered justifiable to transfer £1,000 to the French miners on strike when it was not considered justifiable to transfer the £5,000 which, as my hon. Friend said, has a more worthy object?
§ Sir S. CrippsThe basis of the transference of the former sum of money was on the same basis as the transference of other charitable funds to assist distress in Europe.
§ Mr. David EcclesAs His Majesty's Government are making available many millions of pounds to France by way of a gift under the European Recovery Programme, why will not the Chancellor allow this transfer of £5,000 which would lessen the burden on the taxpayers and place it on people anxious to bear it?
§ Sir S. CrippsUnfortunately, it is very difficult to make exceptions of that kind for a particular country. If it were permitted for France, demands would be made for Belgium, and, as the hon. Member knows, that is a very difficult case.
§ Mr. Godfrey NicholsonDoes the Chancellor recollect that in replying to me last week about the £35 tourist allowance, he said he would be delighted to allow more British money to be spent in France were it not for an agreement with the Swiss Government? Is there an agreement with the Swiss Government to prevent the erection of war memorials in France?
§ Sir S. CrippsNo, Sir.