HC Deb 30 June 1924 vol 175 cc916-7
27. Mr. A. M. SAMUEL

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress has been made by the British administrator of Hungarian property in his negotiations with the Hungarian clearing office about the payments due to the British administrator by the Hungarian Government; will he state the probable date of a distribution upon admitted British claims; and will he, prior to the impending issue of the Hungarian loan in London, publish a White Paper on the negotiations regarding the unsecured Hungarian bonded debt and the secured Hungarian debt, with particular reference to the secured debt British claims for the period between July, 1919, and the date of the Treaty coming into force in 1921?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. A. V. Alexander)

I have been asked to reply. In reply to the first part of the question, the position in regard to the payment of the balances due from the Hungarian clearing office is as indicated in the reply which I gave on the 18th June to questions by the hon. Member and by the hon. Member for Fulham West. A first dividend of 1s. 6d. in the £ upon admitted British claims was made in June, 1923, and I hope it may be possible to make a further distribution before the end of the present year. As regards the last part of the question, relating to the admission of claims in respect of the State debt, I doubt whether any useful purpose would be served by the action suggested by the hon. Member. The important point is that in the last few weeks these claims have been admitted to the extent of some £1,300,000 out of £2,000,000, and further admissions are coming in regularly. The question regarding the interest on the secured debt between 1919 and 1921 is under discussion between the clearing offices.

28. Sir GEORGE McCRAE

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has requested the British administrator of Hungarian property to notify the Hungarian Government that unpaid overdue payments due to the British administrator by the Hungarian Government must be made good out of the proceeds of the new Hungarian loan about to be issued in London?

Mr. ALEXANDER

I have been asked to reply. No, Sir. Under the modified arrangements already agreed upon there are at present no payments overdue; and, as stated on the 18th June, in reply to a similar question by the hon. Members for Farnham and West Fulham, I see no reason whatever to anticipate that the Hungrian Government will fail to make the payments as they fall due.

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