§ Mr. MACMASTERasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will say what precautions are now taken to prevent the movements of ships of the British and Allied merchant marine being communicated to insurance companies managed by and operated on behalf of neutrals; if the Board of Trade make any inquiries as to the nationality of shareholders in neutral insurance companies doing business in this country; are neutral insurance companies allowed to send to their head offices abroad the names and nature of the risks they have offered to them in London; and what security there is against insurance companies of neutral origin, to whom applications for insurance may be made, communicating the information they obtain to their head offices abroad of companies that may be controlled by enemy subjects, thus affording the means of communicating knowledge to the enemy of the movements of British and Allied ships?
§ Mr. PRETYMANArrangements have been entered into with the agencies in this country of neutral insurance companies in order to prevent any information which might be of use to the enemy being communicated to the head offices of the companies in connection with marine insurances effected in this country. When it appears necessary, inquiries are made 89W as to the nationality of the shareholders. Every care is taken by the authorities to see that these arrangements are properly carried out.