§ 59. Colonel MORDENasked the Prime Minister whether any agreement has been made or is contemplated between His Majesty's Government and the Belgian Government enabling British corporations having branches in Belgium, and owning property in that country which has been damaged or destroyed by enemy action, to present claims through the Belgian Government so as to give them the priority provided by the Treaty of Peace for the restoration of Belgium and the compensation of Belgian interests?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWNo agreement of the kind indicated has been found feasible. Claims for reparation against the German Government in respect of property in Belgium owned directly by British corporations are registered at the Foreign Claims Office of the Foreign Office for presentation by His Majesty's Government. The question of the presentation of similar claims put forward by companies incorporated in Belgium, the shares of which are owned by British nationals, is now under discussion with the Belgian Government.