§ 37. Mr. Platts-Millsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the attitude adopted by the Commandant and Deputy Commandant of the British Sector towards the proposed transfer of undertakings to public ownership on the 16 occasions this matter was discussed in the Berlin Kommandatura; and, in view of the public declaration of support for the proposal accorded by the Soviet representative, what is holding up the transfer of these undertakings to public ownership.
Mr. McNeilThe Commandant and Deputy Commandant of the British Sector have always made it clear that 117W they were in favour of the general principle of transferring certain undertakings in Berlin to public ownership. The draft law before the Kommandatura has, however, as the Soviet Delegation has admitted, many imperfections. Moreover, the delay has been primarily due to the insistence by the Soviet representative that Russian-owned firms in their sector must not be socialised. In these circumstances the British authorities have been unable to agree to the otherwise blanket approval demanded by the Soviet Commandant until the law is acceptable to all four delegations.