§ LORD DAVIESMy Lords, I beg to ask the second question standing in my name.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether, in view of the proposed negotiations for a trade agreement with the U.S.S.R., they are prepared to authorise the transfer to the Russian State Bank of securities held in Great Britain by the Baltic Republics before they became associated with the Soviet Union.]
§ VISCOUNT CALDECOTEMy Lords, I presume that by "securities" the noble Lord refers to the assets, the transfer of which has been prohibited by-Order in Council. The Order applies to all assets, including gold and bank balances as well as securities held here by persons, firms and institutions in the Baltic States. As the noble Lord will appreciate, various important political, financial and legal considerations are involved in this question. These are now engaging the attention of His Majesty's Government, and I am not yet in a position to make a statement on the subject.