§ Mr. Piratinasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received a report from Major-General W. H. A. Bishop, the Regional Commissioner, North Rhine-Westphalia, concerning the document alleging extravagances on the part of the occupying Power, prepared by the Land Government; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MayhewThe document in question was a memorandum on Occupation Costs in the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia prepared by the Finance Minister of that Land and sent simultaneously to the Press and to the Regional Commissioner. As it contained a number of distortions and exaggerations and had clearly been prepared for purposes of propaganda against the Occupying Power the Regional Commissioner declined to enter into any discussions about it and expressed to the Minister President of the Land his displeasure at the way in which the document had been compiled and presented. The Land Minister of Finance has since apologised for his action, and has undertaken to submit a fresh paper through proper official channels. This will then receive full consideration by the Regional Commissioner and by the Military Governor.