asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any action has been taken against the German authorities in Dortmund who imposed heavy fines on contractors for carrying out the dismantling orders of the British authorities.

My hon. Friend no doubt has in mind certain cases in which the German local authorities imposed fines upon and sought to close down certain firms engaged on dismantling on the pretext that they had not complied with the licensing formalities under German law. On the instructions of the Land Commissioner this action has ceased, the fines have been suspended, and the work is now proceeding normally.

Will my hon. Friend see that every protection is given to those people who are carrying out the orders of the British authorities in. Germany, and will he also look into the cases of actual terror in the Ruhr, not only against the men who are dismantling, but against their wives and children, as recently reported in the Press?

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend agrees that this is a grave problem, and he will do everything possible to prevent this pressure against law-abiding citizens, which is also open defiance of the occupation authority.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into account the increased difficulties of the situation from our point of view by reason of the fact that the democratic Press is gradually being eliminated in this part of Germany.

That is a different question.