HC Deb 21 June 1944 vol 401 cc207-8W
Sir L. Lyle

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can make any statement on the present exports of chrome from Turkey to Germany and Great Britain, respectively.

Mr. Eden

All exports of chrome to Germany have ceased since the morning of 21st April. As regards exports to this country, the position is that under the arrangements concluded between His Majesty's Government and the Turkish Government regarding the disposal of Turkish chrome production in 1943 and 1944, all chrome not deliverable to Germany under the Clodius Agreement is to be acquired by ourselves. Technical discussions are about to start to enable us to take over all chrome produced by the Turkish mines up to the end of 1944, including that already mined for delivery to Germany. Owing to the cessation of exports to Germany, the transport facilities available to us have greatly increased, and chrome already sold us is being delivered at a greatly increased rate.