HC Deb 23 April 1923 vol 163 cc33-4
56. Lieut.-Colonel HOWARD-BURY

asked the Prime Minister whether he will take steps to recover some portion of the £1,913,960,000 due from the Allies to this country; and, seeing that the Czechslovakian Government are making arrangements to pay their debt to the United States, what steps this country is taking to get back some of the money owing to it?

Mr. BALDWIN

As the answer is a long one, I will, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the answer:

As regards War Debts proper, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given to the hon. Members for St. George's (Mr. Erskine) and Mid-Bedfordshire (Mr. Linfield) on the 15th February last.

Allied Governments are being pressed to pay sums due in respect of supplies of stores, etc., by British Government Departments after the War period, and a considerable proportion of such debts has already been paid in cash.

The earliest Relief Loans are not due until January, 1925, and each one will be dealt with on merits.

As regards the debt of Czechoslovakia, in particular (all of which is post-War debt), of the loan of about £2,000,000 for the purchase of flour, £1,000,000 has already been repaid, and it has been arranged that the balance will be repaid in the current financial year. The Relief Loan (£477,000) is not repayable till 1st January, 1925. Interest is being duly paid.