asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what expenditure has been incurred in sending a Mr. Swingler and his colleagues of the Green Park Studios to South America to take pictures of British shipping; whether the Shipbuilding Conference was consulted prior to the despatch of this party; and whether the consent of the foreign Government concerned to the filming of their harbours was obtained prior to the arrival of Mr. Swingler in each country included in their tour.

About £4,300. The Shipbuilding Conference was consulted. The consent of the Governments concerned was sought, and obtained.

Arising out of that reply, is the Minister aware that these films could have been taken perfectly well on the Clyde, or in any other port or harbour in Great Britain?

No, Sir, the object of filming these ships where they were filmed was to show modern British-built ships operating in foreign ports.

Is the Minister aware that both at Rio and at Valparaiso, certainly the latter, consent was not obtained until after the party had left?

My information is to the contrary, and we have checked up on this. It is true that consent in two cases, namely, in Brazil and in the Argentine, was not obtained until the party actually arrived, but consent was obtained before the shots were made.