30. Captain BENNasked the Prime Minister whether any agreement has yet been arrived at with France as to the division of the £50,000,000 already paid by Germany?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hilton Young)No, Sir. This question was discussed at Cannes, and a tentative agreement was arrived at, but no definite agreement had been made before the conference broke up, on Monsieur Briand's resignation.
Captain BENNIf the £30,000,000 to £40,000,000 mentioned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in September last is not realised, there will be a deficit in his figures?
§ 39. Mr. BETTERTONasked the Prime Minister the amount paid by Germany by way of reparation in gold marks and also the value in gold marks of the amount paid in kind since the acceptance by her of the London ultimatum, and also the amount paid by her between the Armistice and the London ultimatum; and also the allocation as between the Allied Powers of the sums so paid?
§ Mr. YOUNGWith the hon. Member's permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement giving the information desired.
§ Following is the statement referred to:
§ The following figures are based on the latest estimates furnished by the Reparation Commission. In certain cases the valuation of deliveries has not been
| I.—TOTAL PAYMENTS AND DELIVERIES BY GERMANY. | |||
| — | In respect of period to 1st May, 1921. | 1st May to 30th November, 1921 (under the Schedule of Payments). | Total. |
| Cash | 127 | 1,051 | 1,178 |
| Deliveries in kind and Transfers of Property etc. | 4,964 | 282 | 5,246 |
| TOTAL | 5,091 | 1,333 | 6,424 |
§ 53. Mr. HOGGEasked the Prime Minister whether he will now state the names of the members of the committee appointed to investigate the question of the German indemnity in 1918 which reported that Germany could pay the whole cost of the War; and whether he will now publish the Report of the committee?
§ Mr. YOUNGIt is the custom not to publish the names of the members of committees of the Cabinet or the Reports of such committees, and it is not considered that it would be proper to depart from the custom in this instance.
§ finally determined by the Commission, and it is understood that the estimates given are liable to considerable modification when certain outstanding questions are settled. The figures are given in millions of gold marks.
§ Mr. HOGGEHow is it that the Financial Secretary answers questions with regard to the Cabinet of which the Prime Minister is Chief. We have just had a discussion on this point. The hon. Gentleman who answered this question is not even a Member of the Cabinet. This deals with a Cabinet matter, and I am asking the Prime Minister. Why cannot the Prime Minister reply to his own questions?
§ Captain W. BENNDoes the hon. Gentleman say that the Cabinet accept responsibility for the view that Germany can pay the whole cost of the War?
§ Mr. YOUNGIn answer to the first supplementary question, may I explain that I was answering this question on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. As regards the second, I do not think it arises out of the original question at all.
§ Captain BENNWill the hon. Gentleman not give the names of the Committee? He takes shelter behind the fact that it is a Cabinet Committee, and I ask does the Cabinet accept responsibility for this opinion?
§ Mr. HOGGEIs it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman the Prime Minister won the last election on this decision, and will he give us the new facts and the real facts before he goes to the country again?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe hon. Gentleman is, as usual, inaccurate. If he will only refer to the statement which I made at Bristol during the election, he will find how inaccurate he is.