§ Mr. A. M. SAMUELasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that in order to send British goods to Cologne an import licence must be obtained from the Inter-Allied Rhineland High Commission at Bad Ems; that the German Government also demands that a licence from Berlin must be given and German Customs duties paid: that the French exact a further 10 per cent. duty, as English goods for Cologne must pass through territory occupied by the French; and that the German Government has notified that it will punish any firm that pays the 10 per cent. French Customs or obtains a licence from the Inter-Allied Rhineland High Commission at Bad Ems; and what he has arranged about the removal of these clogs upon British export trade?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEI have been asked to reply. Goods exported from this country to Cologne require a Bad Ems licence, and are subject an entering French occupied territory to the duty prescribed by the German Tariff of April, 1922. The German Government have hitherto ordered their nationals not to accept delivery of goods which have complied with these requirements. Negotiations are proceeding with the German Government with a view to facilitating the course of trade.
299W
Mr. DARBISHIREasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that 500 tons of coal shipped from Leith in the middle of January last, destined for a, factory at Mannheim exclusively owned by British nationals, has been seized by the Franco-Belgian authorities at Duisburg and is still detained, with the result that the works have had to close down; that particulars of the case were forwarded to the British authorities in Germany on the 1st March; and, if so, will he take steps to secure the immediate release of the lighter "Lorely," containing this consignment of coal, which is the property of British nationals and destined for a British factory?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEI have no information regarding this case, and am having inquiry made.