§ 15. Mr. A. M. SAMUELasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether 10 he is satisfied with the progress made by the tribunal set up in June, 1920, under the Treaty of Trianon to deal with Hungarian debts due to British claimants; whether he will have inquiry made as to the delays caused by the action of the Hungarian representative; and whether he is aware that the absence of a Hungarian courier has been made the excuse for the delay of six weeks in the despatch of documents to Budapest?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. A. V. Alexander)I have been asked to reply. The Anglo-Hungarian Mixed Arbitral Tribunal was formally constituted in August, 1921, shortly after the ratification of the Treaty of Trianon, and not, as stated by the hon. Member, in June, 1920. No cases were ready for hearing till July, 1923, when the tribunal met and disposed of all cases then ready. This tribunal has made such satisfactory progress with the work entrusted to it, that at the end of its last sitting (23rd January, 1924) it had disposed of all the cases that were ripe for trial. At the present moment only six cases are ready for hearing. I am not aware of any instances of delay of the kind referred to in the question, but if the hon. Member will kindly furnish particulars of the case cited in the last part of the question, I will have inquiries made.
§ Mr. SAMUELWho is the controlling authority to see that the provisions of the Treaty are carried out in regard to the tribunal?
§ Mr. ALEXANDERI must have notice of that question.