§ 13. Mr. Osborneasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any statement to make on the "Yugoslav Ministry of Foreign Trade's Report that thousands of pounds of U.N.R.R.A. goods have been looted by armed gangs and that from 25 per cent, to 30 per cent. of consignments have disappeared; and what safeguards for the British taxpayer does he propose to introduce before making further payments to U.N.R.R.A.
Mr. Noel-BakerI am informed that some pilferage of U.N.R.R.A. supplies which pass through Trieste to various destinations has undoubtedly occurred. There have been urgent consultations on the subject between representatives of the Allied military authorities, of U.N.R.R.A., and of the Italian State Railways. I have called for immediate reports on the facts and the hon. Member will understand that until I have received them, I should prefer to make no statement which might appear to attribute responsibility or would imply acceptance of the allegations made.