§ Mr. Harveyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare whether he has any information as to an announcement of the German authorities in Athens that no more food is to be exported from Greece except in exchange for other food; whether the food situation in Greece remains serious; and Whether any further measures to relieve it are being undertaken by the Allied Governments?
§ Mr. FootAn assurance that no food Would be exported from Greece except in exchange for other foodstuffs was given by the German Government some months ago in connection with the establishment of the relief Scheme now operating in Greece. I am informed that further assurances on this point have recently been given by representatives of the German Government at Athens, but I have as yet no precise details of the manner in which they are being carried into effect. As regards the second and third parts of the Question, the evidence is that the initiation of the relief shipments of 15,000 tons a month at the end of August has brought about a marked improvement in the general situation. It would be unwise, however, to assume that serious distress is not still felt in some localities, especially as the difficulties of distributing relief to out-of-the-way places are bound to be very great. I am expecting fuller information at any moment. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Sir P. Hurd) to which I have at present nothing to add.