§ 50. Sir LEONARD LYLEasked the Prime Minister whether the Government accepts the principle that Germany should pay reparations for material damage; and whether in that case he will consider the desirability of obtaining from that source further funds for the benefit of those torpedoed men of the British mercantile marine who lost everything in the War, and whose claims are now under consideration by the Reparations Claims Department?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Snowden)The obligation which Germany undertook by the Treaty of Versailles was to pay reparation to the Allied Governments not to individuals. To meet exceptional cases where the losses of individuals had not been made good by insurance or by compensation granted by the Government during the War, the British Government allotted a sum of £5,000,000 to be paid out in awards on the recommendation of a Royal Commission. I do not think it would be justifiable to provide further funds for increasing the grants already made on the recommendation of the Royal Commission in the cases referred to in the question.
§ Sir L. LYLEI could not hear a word of the answer.