HC Deb 04 December 1922 vol 159 c1170
7. Mr. MORBL

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total amount in sterling of private and personal property belonging to German subjects in this country which has been sequestrated, and the amount it is proposed to remit, out of the total, to British-born wives of Germans and to other individuals in special cases?

Sir P. LLOYD-GREAME

Assuming that the question refers to the property in the United Kingdom of Germans, wherever resident, the sum of £33,600,000 has already been paid to the Controller of the Clearing Office in respect of realisations, in addition to which reserves in the hands of the Custodian amount to approximately £1,500,000, and a sum of approximately £6,000,000 has been released to non-Germans. Certain further assets are still available for realisation, but it is not possible to state the realisable value. No estimate can be made as to the proportion of this sum which will eventually be released to British-born German women and to other individuals in special cases. Each of such cases is dealt with on its merits by Lord Justice Younger's Committee, and the Committee's recommendations are given effect to by the Custodian.