§ 93. Mr. Wilkesasked the Secretary of State for War when the claim of Mr. C. N. Christou, Heraklion, Crete, in respect of provisions supplied to British troops in Heraklion in 1941, regarding which the hon. Member for Newcastle Central wrote to his Department on 28th November, 145W 1946, will be met; whether he will state the procedure which is followed for the settlement of claims by Greek civilians for services rendered to the British Army in 1941 and subsequently; and how many of these claims are now outstanding and still under consideration by his Department.
§ Mr. BellengerClaims by Greek civilians for services rendered to British troops in Greece and Crete are dealt with by the British Military Authorities locally, and no detailed information regarding them is available in the War Office. Some of the claims which arose in 1941 were paid during the enemy occupation from British funds placed at the disposal of the Greek Ministry of Finance and the American Legation before the British Forces were evacuated. Later, the outstanding debts were virtually extinguished by the provision of a Greek stabilisation law. Despite this fact, authority was given to the local military authorities in 1946 to meet, on a purelyex gratiabasis, such of the outstanding claims as could be reasonably substantiated. Settlement of outstanding claims has been delayed by the necessity for ascertaining which claims have already been met by the Greek Ministry of Finance and the American Legation, but investigation is proceeding as quickly as possible. The local military authorities have already been asked for a report on the particular case of Mr. Christou, and I will communicate with my hon. Friend on receipt of a reply.