§ 26. Sir E. CARSONasked the Attorney-General whether the Prize Committee has been appointed under any Act of Parliament or with the authority of the House of Commons; what is the amount of claims made before such Committee up to the present date; what is the procedure of the Committee; and whether, before any money which would otherwise be payable as prize money to the Royal Navy or any public funds are allocated for payment of claims before the Prize Committee, this House will have an opportunity of discussing the question?
§ Sir J. SIMONAs the right hon. Gentleman knows, the Prize Court, when dealing with enemy property over which British or neutral bankers or merchants have a charge, lien, or mortgage for money advanced, disregards entirely all such claims, and leaves the banker or merchant without any security for the return of the money he has advanced. Consequently the Committee was appointed by the Prime Minister to receive and consider such claims and to make recommendations to the Treasury in regard to them. I have asked for details of the amount of claims, 1251 and will furnish them when they reach me. The Committee investigates such claims by examining the shipping and commercial documents or otherwise, according to circumstances. As I have already explained to the right hon. Gentleman, the Committee does not decide out of what funds the claims will be met. Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will give notice of a question to the Prime Minister on the last point raised in his question.
§ Sir E. CARSONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman, in view of his former statement that these claims may be paid out of the naval prize money, whether there is any representative of the Navy upon this Committee; and may I also ask him whether in other cases outside the question of capital, where contracts are interfered with and there are losses, the contracting parties will also get compensation, or why is there any special reason in this case?
§ Sir J. SIMONAs regards the first part of the question now put by the right hon. Gentleman, there is a representative of the Navy on the Committee; and, as regards the second part of the question, the House will judge whether it is not right that claims of British merchants and traders should at any rate be considered and investigated. I do not know of the other incidents to which the right hon. Gentleman refers.
§ Sir E. CARSONDoes the right hon. Gentleman know that every day there are questions where people have been almost ruined by the War in relation to their contracts?
§ Sir J. SIMONI do not know what the question is unless it is that the right hon. Gentleman objects to the claims of British merchants and bankers being investigated.
§ Sir E. CARSONNo, the right hon. Gentleman must not say that. I have not said so at all. All I ask the right hon. Gentleman is that this matter should not be done behind the backs of the House, but that the House of Commons should have an opportunity of discussing these particular questions, especially having regard to the fact that the Prize Court is—