§ 2.30 p.m.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Herr Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach has formally combined his steel and coal-mining enterprises into one company in which he is the sole shareholder; and, if so, which are the provisions of the 1953 Mehlem Deconcentration Agreement operating under Allied High Commission Law No. 27 which rendered this merger permissible prior to the disposal of approximately 74 per cent, of his steel, iron and coal-producing assets under the aforesaid Agreement.]
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE)My Lords, the answer to the first part of the question is Yes. But the shares, which have always been held by disposition trustees on behalf of Krupp, remain held by them and are still subject to the obligation to sell.
As to the second part of the Question, I am advised that there is no provision in the Mehlem Deconcentration Agreement of 1953 which prohibits the reorganisation referred to by the noble Viscount.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, I beg to thank the noble Marquess for his Answer. But does that mean that any of the Krupp concerns can now outwit Law 27 in regard to the formal combine?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEMy Lords, I do not think that I can add anything to what I have already said. There is nothing in the Mehlem Deconcentration Agreement which appears to prohibit the reorganisation which is taking place. But I think the important thing is that the obligation to sell is in no way altered.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, I beg to thank the noble Marquess. May I ask my noble friend whether he is, incidentally, in process of receiving the Report of the Mixed Tribunal on the Decentralisation Agreement?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEMy Lords, I am sorry that I have nothing further to add to the reply which I gave to the noble Viscount on the last occasion.
§ LORD WILMOT OF SELMESTONMy Lords, is the Minister aware that the Answers which he has given on this matter are very disquieting indeed? I spent some considerable time as Minister of Supply immediately after the war in carrying out the instruction, which was supported by all Parties in Parliament, which was to dismantle the German war potential. A most important part of this was the break-up of the concentrated holdings of the great armament firms like Krupp. It would seem, unless I am wrong in my understanding of the Answers which have been given, that all the trouble and work which was put into framing those rules has been brought to nothing because, with impunity, they are ignored.
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEMy Lords, I wonder whether there is not perhaps some confusion here. We are not really concerned with armaments in this matter.
§ LORD WILMOT OF SELMESTONBut surely the whole origin and purpose of these regulations was to prevent the concentration of armament potential in the hands of people who used it to assist Hitler to make war in 1939.