asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many staff are employed by the Control Commission in Germany on the dismantling of factories, the requisitioning of machinery and similar activities; to what extent the number has been increased during the past six months; and how many factories have been scheduled for dismantling during the past six months in the British zone.

On 31st January there were 69 British and 7,669 Germans engaged on this work, compared with 26 British and 4,813 Germans on 31st July, 1946. Seventeen plants have been scheduled for dismantling in the last six months.

Does that answer mean that we are still dismantling plant in Germany, although the right hon. Gentleman said that this had now come to an end?

I have never said this had come to an end. As I stated in the recent Debate, we are proceeding with the dismantling of those factories which have already been scheduled