§ Mr. REMERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the date, or dates, when the £1,450,000 was advanced to the British Cellulose Company, and the amount advanced on each date?
Mr. HOPEI have been asked to reply. The answer is as follows:—
1541W
Payments made to the British Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing Company, Limited. Date of Payment. Amount. £ August 24, 1917 … … 25,000 September 4, 1917 … … 75,000 September 28, 1917 … … 100,000 June 27, 1918 … … 235,000 July 6, 1918 … … 50,000 July 20, 1918 … … 200,000 August 17, 1918 … … 100,000 September 6, 1918 … … 50,000 September 19, 1918 … … 50,000 September 27, 1918 … … 100,000 October 4, 1918 … … 50,000 October 12, 1918 … … 3,000 October 16, 1918 … … 50,000 October 25, 1918 … … 6,000 November 20, 1918 … … 6,000 November 20, 1918 … … 15,000 November 25, 1918 … … 22,000 November 29, 1918 … … 10,000 February 6, 1919 … … 303,000 £1,450,000 These payments were in respect of charges necessarily incurred earlier than the dates shown. They were made under the terms of agreements which were consolidated into one agreement dated 27th June, 1018.
§ Mr. KILEYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether he is aware that the prospectus published in the newspaper press offering £2,800,000 cumulative participating preference shares in the British Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing (Parent) Company, Limited, to the public fails to make essential disclosures required of a published prospectus by Section 81 of the Companies (Consolidation) Act of 1908; that the prospectus in particular fails to state the number and amount of shares issued as fully or partly paid up otherwise than in cash and the consideration for which those shares have been issued, and also fails to give the dates of and parties to every material contract and full particulars of the nature and extent of the interest in the promotion of the company of every director so interested; was he informed about the particulars thus withheld from the public; and, if so, will he inform the House of these particulars?
Mr. HOPEThe responsibility for the advertisement of the issue rests not with the Government but with the issuing house. I am not, however, aware of any omission on their part of any particulars required by law to be given, and I am advised that the advertisement was not a "prospectus" within the meaning of Section 81 of the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908.
§ Mr. REMERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what was the nationality of Mr. Camille Dreyfus, managing director of the British Cellulose Company; what was his country of origin; and whether he was naturalised in Britain or any other country?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am advised that Dr. Camille Dreyfus is of Swiss nationality and Switzerland is his country of origin. Both of his parents were of French nationality. He has not been naturalised in Great Britain or in any other country.