§ Mr. A. Edwardsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give figures regarding supplies from this country to China under Lend-Lease.
§ Mr. George HallMaterials supplied to China under Lend-Lease by His Majesty's Government are confined to arms, munitions and military equipment. Partly on account of difficulties of transportation and partly by reason of the fact that the main responsibility in this sphere rests by agreement with the United States Government, supplies actually shipped from this country amount only to about £50,000. Beyond this Lend-Lease assistance furnished to China by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom has comprised:
- (a) supplies shipped from Australia valued at nearly £3,000,000;
- (b) supplies and services furnished to Chinese troops in India and Burma valued at approximately £6,000,000, and
1655 - (c) sterling freights on military supplies furnished by other Allies and shipped in British bottoms, figures for which are not available at present.
In general, as my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary stated in the House on 3rd May, the limit of our assistance to China remains, as always, one of transport and not of finance.