§ 8. Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenportasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement about the seizure by the Russian authorities of British oil-drilling equipment in the Zistersdorf oil fields in Austria; what protest has been made in connection with this seizure; and whether the machinery in question has since been returned.
§ Mr. MayhewI can confirm that the Russian authorities have removed a certain amount of British-owned oil drilling equipment from the Zistersdorf oil fields. Numerous protests have been addressed to the Soviet authorities regarding their treatment of British interests in these oil fields, but without any satisfactory result. So far as I can ascertain, none of this equipment has been returned.