§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Minister of Economic Warfare whether, in view of the despatch to Greece of 50,000 tons of foodstuffs and medical supplies under assurances by the German and Italian Governments that safe passage will be accorded and guarantees given that these supplies will not be diverted to other purposes, similar arrangements will be made for the relief of other of our Allies in occupied countries threatened with starvation during the coming winter?
§ Mr. DaltonAs there has been considerable misapprehension about this matter, I welcome this opportunity of making it clear that recent arrangements regarding Greece do not involve any departure from the general policy of His Majesty's Government. We do not allow foodstuffs to be shipped through the blockade, but subject to suitable conditions we have no objection to the purchase by our Allies of foodstuffs inside the blockade area for the relief of their peoples. These principles are, of course, impartially applied and certain other occupied territories have already benefited by their application. His Majesty's Government maintain their view that it is the responsibility of the enemy to feed the peoples he has enslaved, and they remain convinced that it would not be possible to allow foodstuffs to reach those territories through the blockade without defeating the objects of economic warfare.