Sitting of 8 May 1945

Preamble
The House met at two of the clock, The LORD CHANCELLOR on the Woolsack.
Prayers.
The Earl of Halsbury—sat first in Parliament after the death of his father.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR THE LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House that the Clerk of the Parliaments had laid upon the Table the Certificate from the Examiners that the further Standing Orders applicable to the following Bill have been complied with:
Mid Southern Utility.
The same was ordered to lie on the Table.

COLNE VALLEY WATER BILL [H.L.]
  REIGATE CORPORATION BILL [H.L.]
  The Order made on Tuesday last, appointing certain Lords the Select Committee to consider the Bills, discharged.

VISITS TO FRANCE AND BELGIUM.
2.7 p.m.
LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH: My Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government a question of which I have given private notice—that is to say, whether the facilities available to noble Lords to visit France can be extended to Belgium.
THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (THE EARL OF MUNSTER): My Lords, I am obliged to my noble friend for giving notice of this question. It has been decided that noble Lords may be granted exit permits for Belgium or for France or for both countries, whichever is desired. I have, however, been asked to repeat the warning that accommodation in Brussels is very difficult to obtain, and noble Lords will be well advised to arrange for lodging through their friends before commencing their journey.

PONTYPOOL GAS BILL [H.L.]
Read 2a.
COMMERCIAL GAS BILL.
Read 3a, and passed.
SOUTH SUBURBAN GAS BILL.
Read 3a, and passed.
BUCKS WATER BOARD BILL [H.L.]
Read 3a, and passed, and sent to the Commons.
SOUTH SHIELDS CORPORATION BILL [H.L.]
Read 3a, and passed, and sent to the Commons.

NATIONAL LOAF.
LORD HANKEY: My Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name.
[The question was as follows:
To ask His Majesty's Government (1) what is the present extraction rate of the flour used in the national bread resulting from the mixture of 8o per cent, and 75 per cent. flour in the proportions for England and Scotland respectively as stated in the Earl of Listowel's answer to my question on May 2nd (Parliamentary Debates, House of Lords, Vol. 136, No. 49, Cols. 155 and 156): (2) what is the mineral content of the composite loaf: and (3) what was the corresponding content of the 85 per cent. loaf.]
VISCOUNT CLIFDEN: My Lords, I have beep asked to reply. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the present overall extraction of national flour for bread-making, allowing for the addition of Canadian imported flour, is 79.25 per cent. The same figure also applies to Scotland, except for batch bread, where it may fall to 78.6 per cent. The only minerals for which routine analyses are carried out are calcium and iron. For these two elements the average contents in either the English or the Scotch loaf are approximately 610 and 12.5 parts per million respectively. The loaf which contained 85 per cent. extraction home-produced flour also contained Canadian imported flour, and the corresponding figures were 620 and 17 parts per million.

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
2.11 p.m.
LORD ADDISON: My Lords, I beg to ask the Acting Leader of the House whether he has any statement to make about business.
THE MINISTER OF RECONSTRUCTION (LORD WOOLTON): My Lords, as there are no Notices on the Order Paper for to-morrow, I propose that there should be no sitting of the House for public business either to-morrow or on Thursday. I suggest that the House should now adjourn during pleasure and reassemble at a quarter past three o'clock, when I shall hope to make a statement to your Lordships.
House adjourned during pleasure.
House resumed.

VICTORY IN EUROPE
3.15 p.m.
LORD WOOLTON: My Lords, in another place the Prime Minister is now making a statement in the following terms:
"Yesterday morning at 2.41 a.m. at General Eisenhower's Headquarters, General Jodl, the representative of the German High Command and of Grand Admiral Dönitz, the designated Head of the German State, signed the act of unconditional surrender of all German land, sea and air forces in Europe to the Allied Expeditionary Force, and simultaneously to the Soviet High Command. General Bedell Smith and General François Sevez signed the document on behalf of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, and General Susloparov signed on behalf of the Russian High Command. To-day this Agreement will be ratified and confirmed at Berlin, where Air Chief Marshal Tedder, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, and General de Lattre de Tassigny will sign on behalf of General Eisenhower; General Zhukov will sign on behalf of the Soviet High Command. The German representatives will be Field-Marshal Keitel, Chief of the High Command, and the Commanders-in-Chief of the German Army, Navy and Air Forces.
"Our dear Channel Islands will be free to-morrow. Hostilities will end officially
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at one minute after midnight to-night, Tuesday, the 8th of May, but in the interests of saving lives the 'cease fire' began yesterday to be sounded all along the fronts. The Germans are still in places resisting the Russian troops, but should they continue to do so after midnight they will, of course, divest themselves of the protection of the laws of war and will be attacked from all quarters by the Allied troops. It is not surprising that on such long fronts and in the existing disorder of the enemy the orders of the German High Command should not in every case have been obeyed. This does not, in our opinion, constitute any reason for withholding from the nation the facts communicated to us by General Eisenhower of the unconditional surrender already signed at Rheims, nor should it prevent us from celebrating to-day and to-morrow, Wednesday, as Victory-in-Europe Days. His Majesty the King will broadcast to the nation and Empire at nine o'clock to-night.
"The German war is therefore at an end. After years of intense preparation Germany hurled herself on Poland at the beginning of September, 1939, and in pursuance of our guarantee to Poland and in common action with the French Republic, Great Britain, the British Empire and Commonwealth of Nations declared war against this foul aggression. After gallant France had been struck down, we from this island and from our united Empire maintained the struggle single-handed for a whole year until we were joined by the military might of Soviet Russia and later by the overwhelming power and resources of the United States of America. Finally, almost the whole world was combined against the evil-doers who are now prostrate before us. Gratitude to our splendid Allies goes forth from all our hearts. We may allow ourselves a brief period of rejoicing, but let us not forget for a moment the toils and efforts that lie ahead. Japan, with all her treachery and greed, remains unsubdued. The injuries she has inflicted upon Great Britain, the United States and other countries, and her detestable cruelties call for justice and retribution. We must now devote all our strength and resources to the completion of our tasks both at home and abroad. Long live the cause of Freedom! God save the King!"

THANKSGIVING SERVICE.
LORD WOOLTON: My Lords, I beg to move that this House do attend this day at Westminster Abbey to give thanks to Almighty God on the occasion of the cessation of hostilities in Europe by the surrender of Germany to the Allied Nations.
Moved, That this House do attend this day at Westminster Abbey to give thanks to Almighty God on the occasion of the
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cessation of hostilities in Europe by the surrender of Germany to the Allied Nations.—(Lord Woolton.)
On question, Motion agreed to nemine dissentiente.
House adjourned in order to proceed to Westminster Abbey.
On the return, House adjourned at ten minutes past four o'clock.