§ 22. Sir WILLIAM DAVISONasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that approximately 30,000 claims for compensation for malicious injuries have been lodged for hearing by the Wood-Renton Commission; how many of these claims have actually been heard; how many have been gazetted for immediate payment; in how many cases has payment actually been made, and to what amount; and when it is expected that the hearing of the outstanding claims will be completed?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI would refer the hon. Member to the White Paper on this subject which was presented to Parliament on the 9th instant. I have not yet received any later figures.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there is in that Paper a statement that claims have been disposed of at the rate of 500 a week: does he think it possible that a tribunal of three members can adequately dispose of these complicated claims at that rate?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI understand that the assessors are getting a very large number of appeals satisfactorily arranged, apart from the central tribunal: they are dealing with them in a remarkable way.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs my hon. Friend aware that claimants are told by these assessors that if they do not agree to the figure suggested that they are not likely to be paid for a definite period?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIf the hon. Gentleman will give me any evidence that that statement has been made, I shall be very glad to look into it.
Colonel NEWMANIs the hon. Gentleman aware that 1,300 claims have been presented for immediate payment, and not one has been paid?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI was certainly not aware of that.
59. Colonel NEWMANasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the Compensation for Injuries Bill, which has passed the Dail and Senate of the Irish Free State, annuls the legal right to compensation conferred by a British Act of Parliament, and confirmed by treaty, on holders of pre-Truce awards for malicious injury to property, and substitutes an ex gratiá payment after review by a Commission; and what action does he propose to take?
§ 62. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the hardships which are being suffered by Southern Irish residents by reason of the delays in paying them compensation in respect of the loss which they have sustained by the destruction of their properties and businesses; whether he is aware that by the Damage to Property (Compensation) Bill, which has just been passed by the Dail, British citizens in Southern Ireland who have suffered damage to person or property are deprived of the benefit of decrees of compensation which they obtained in accordance with the existing British law at the time when the said losses and injuries were incurred; that it is provided in the said Bill that no railway company should be entitled to any compensation in respect of damage to property belonging to such company and that no individual, except those subject to reinstatement conditions, should be entitled to receive in cash a larger sum than £2,050; whether His Majesty's Government have intimated to the Free State Government that British citizens cannot be deprived of rights which they possessed prior to the setting up of the Irish Free State; and whether His Majesty's Government still recognise their obligation to see that all claims to compensation by British citizens resident in the territory of the Irish Free State are met equitably and as promptly as unavoidable difficulties allow, as was stated in the British Government's letter to the Irish Government dated 26th July, 1922?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI have been asked to answer these questions. As the Bill to which both these questions refer is still before the Irish Parliament, I 8 regret that I can add nothing to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Finchley (Colonel Newman) on the 12th instant. The Secretary of State for the Colonies hopes, however, at an early date to receive a deputation of Members of both Houses of Parliament on this subject, and I trust that he may then be in a position to discuss this whole question more fully than would in any case be possible by question and answer in this House.
§ Sir W. DAVISONCannot the hon. Gentleman now answer the question which I asked him the other day, and on which he wished to consult the Prime Minister, namely, whether the British Government still stand to their pledges contained in their letter of the 26th July?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI had not that in my mind.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIt was on the Paper.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERWill the hon. Gentleman look at the last paragraph of Question 62, and take an opportunity of answering it at an early date, namely, whether the Government still recognise their obligation?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREObviously, the Prime Minister's pledges given to the electors will be carried out.
§ Sir W. DAVISONThis was a letter sent by the Cabinet to the Irish Government, which has been taken as a pledge by the loyalist refugees, and all I ask is, do the Government adhere to the pledge given in that letter?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GORENaturally, if it was given on behalf of the Government, that pledge will be adhered to.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODWill all the pledges of the Government be adhered to?