§ 67. Major Guy Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what have been the results of his representations to the West German Government to exercise stricter surveillance over the export of strategic materials into Eastern Germany and the Soviet-dominated countries of South-East Europe; and what controls over such exports are exercised by the Allied High Commission.
§ Mr. Ernest DaviesA reorganisation of the German. Agency responsible for these controls is now taking place. The full responsibility for the exercise of the controls rests with the Federal Government, but the Allied High Commission has retained direct supervision over the licensing of a very few items. In addition, under its reserved powers, the High Commission continues to maintain a close watch over the whole field of export controls.
§ Major LloydIs the hon. Gentleman satisfied that as a result of the arrangements he has mentioned there will be no further leakage, as this has been causing great anxiety for some time?
§ Mr. DaviesThere is free coming and going between the East and Western zones of Germany. One cannot be certain that there is no leakage whatever, but we hope that this tightening up of the controls will lead to a stoppage of the majority of the leakages.
§ 71. Sir W. Smithersasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation have accepted the recommendations of Britain, the United States and France making the prohibition of exports from West to East Germany mandatory.
§ Mr. Ernest DaviesNo such recommendations have been made.
§ Sir W. SmithersWhen will the Government make up their minds whether their policy is really Communist or anti-Communist?