6. Mr. TREVELYAN THOMSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that serious loss and financial embarrassment is being caused to British firms who had business establishments in Smyrna at the outbreak of war, owing to the prolonged delay in their admitted claims being met; and will he now authorise the payment of grants to relieve their pressing needs, in the same way that financial assistance is being granted to those who suffered damage by enemy action in other countries?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Major Boyd-Carpenter)The question of reparation claims against Turkey is among those to be dealt with in the Treaty of Peace with Turkey, discussion of which is being resumed at Lausanne. His Majesty's Government are not prepared to ask Parliament to vote further sums for making ex gratia grants in respect of such claims at the 246 cost of the British taxpayer, but in so far as the claims rank under Annex I to Part VIII of the Treaty of Versailles, they are being dealt with by the Royal Commission on Compensation for Suffering and Damage by Enemy Action.