§ 61. Captain MOREINGasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe statistics desired by the hon. Member are best displayed in tabular form, and I have therefore arranged to circulate a full reply in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONMay I ask whether the hon. Gentleman can give me an answer to Question 59? That is very simple.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GORENo. There are various figures, varying between the States, and I have had the matter worked out to several places in decimals.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONWill the hon. Gentleman undertake that a copy of these figures shall be sent to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Spen Valley (Sir J. Simon)?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThey will he circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT, and will go round to all hon. Members.
§ Major BARNETTArising out of the answer to Question 57, will the hon. Gentleman kindly state what a "weighted average" is?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI understand it is the average after certain deductions. I know that the average weekly wage works out at round about 90s. to 95s. a week.
§ Following are the statistics prepared:
§ Affairs the number of claims for compensation made by British subjects who had their possessions seized, and were then put in prison in Russia, which are 35 at present unsettled; and what hope can he give to the claimants that their claims will be dealt with at an early date?
§ Mr. McNEILLOne hundred and fifty claims have been lodged by British nationals with the Russian Claims Department up to the present moment in respect of imprisonment together with seizure of their property, but it is not possible from the information furnished by the claimants to say in how many cases the seizure of property took place before imprisonment. The adjustment of claims in respect of the loss of property, as I have frequently had occasion to state, awaits a final settlement with the Soviet Government as stipulated in the declaration annexed to the trade agreement. This does not however apply to claims for compensation for personal injury, the settlement of which is open to negotiation on the lines of the recent correspondence with the Soviet Government. This matter is at the present moment engaging the close attention of His Majesty's Government and will be proceeded with without delay, but I can hardly hold out hopes of a speedy settlement in view of the number and complication of the claims.