§ 15. Mr. Molsonasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Warfare whether he can give any information as to the amount of war indemnities and other exactions levied on the occupied countries in Europe by the Axis Governments since the date of occupation and during the last 12 months, respectively?
§ Mr. FootUp to 30th September, 1943, the total amounts levied on the occupied countries in Europe by the Axis Governments, whether by way of occupation costs or other charges is estimated at over £3,200,000,000. This is taking the mark at 13⅓ to the pound. In addition, the balances of exports received by Germany but paid for only in blocked marks are estimated at £1,300,000,000, making a total of £4,500,000,000 for financial levies. The present annual rate of such levies is estimated at nearly £1,200,000,000, while balances of exports paid for only in blocked marks are increasing at the rate of £500,000,000 a year. Thus the present annual rate of all financial levies is about £1,700,000,000. No allowance has been made in these figures for losses suffered by the U.S.S.R. nor for loot, nor for any destruction to property or injury to persons. It is not possible to give any estimate of these items. In the case of the U.S.S.R. they have certainly been very high, since no direct financial exactions appear to have been levied and the rate of pure loot has been correspondingly higher. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table covering the various countries.
§ Following is the table:
| Conversion Rate—1 Rm. = 1s. 6d. |
| 13⅓ Rm. = £1 |
| (a) Total up to 30/9/43. (Estimated). | ||
| Milliard Rm. | Mill. £ | |
| France | 23.9 | 1,792.5 |
| Belgium | 4.1 | 307.5 |
| Holland | 4.1 | 307.5 |
| Norway | 5.0 | 375.0 |
| General Government (Poland). | 2.1 | 157.5 |
| Protectorate (Bohemia and Moravia). | 1.5 | 112.5 |
| Serbia | 0.7 | 52.5 |
| Croatia | 0.3 | 22.5 |
| Denmark | 1.1 | 82.5 |
| Total | 42.8 | 3,210.0 |
§ Greece 30/6/43 580 md. dr. (No reliable conversion rate is known).
| (b) Present annual rate. (Estimated) | ||
| Milliard Rm. | Mill. £ | |
| France | 9.5 | 712.5 |
| Belgium | 1.7 | 127.5 |
| Holland | 1.2 | 90.0 |
| Norway | 1.7 | 127.5 |
| General Government | 0.5 | 37.5 |
| Protectorate | 0.3 | 22.5 |
| Serbia | 0.2 | 15.0 |
| Croatia | 0.15 | 11.25 |
| Denmark | 0.6 | 45.0 |
| Total | 15.85 | 1,188.75 |
§ No estimate can be given for Greece where the German demands vary from month to month and tend to increase steeply.
| CLEARING BALANCES. | ||
| (a) Total as at 30/9/43. | ||
| Milliard Rm. | Mill. £ | |
| France | 5.0 | 375.0 |
| Belgium | 2.9 | 217.5 |
| Holland | 5.7 | 427.5 |
| General Government | 0.3 | 22.5 |
| Protectorate | 2.9 | 187.5 |
| Serbia | 0.2 | 15.0 |
| Denmark | 0.9 | 67.5 |
| Total | 17.5 | 1,312.5 |
| (b) Estimated annual rate of increase. | ||
| Milliard Rm. | Mill. £ | |
| France | 2.2 | 165.0 |
| Belgium | 1.3 | 97.5 |
| Holland | 1.9 | 142.5 |
| General Government | 0.1 | 7.5 |
| Protectorate | 0.7 | 52.5 |
| Serbia | 0.1 | 7.5 |
| Denmark | 0.4 | 30.0 |
| Total | 6.7 | 502.5 |
§ The following countries are omitted from the list Norway, because the balance in the clearing is in favour of Germany; Croatia, to which the same probably applies; and Greece, because no recent information is available,