HC Deb 11 March 1942 vol 378 cc1083-4W
Sir T. Moore

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare whether any cargoes of wheat, or other foodstuffs, have yet reached Greece; and whether any steps are being taken to obtain and expedite further shipments?

Mr. Foot

As my hon. and gallant Friend is no doubt aware, cargoes of foodstuffs from Turkey have been reaching Greece at intervals since the autumn of last year, but these have not included wheat. The steamship "Radmanso" has been loaded with 7,000 tons of wheat. We were informed at the end of February that the Italian Government would require six days' notice of the date of sailing. Notification was at once sent to the International Red Cross at Geneva that the ship was due to sail from Haifa on 6th March. I regret to say, however, that a message was received at the last moment, through the International Red Cross, stating that the Italian Government had not received sufficient notice of the date of sailing, and permission was refused for the ship to sail until 15th March. She will therefore sail on that date.