§ SirALEXANDER SPROTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any estimate has been made of the amount due from the Irish Free State under Article 5 of the Treaty; if so, what is the amount due; and if any demand has been made for payment?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Amery):I have been asked to reply to this question. As stated in the replies which were given to the hon. Member for Reading on the 30th ultimo, arid to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull yesterday, a memorandum has been forwarded to the Free State Government setting out the British claim. That claim is subject to any just claims which may be made by the Irish Free State by way of set-off or counter-claim, and it is not now possible to estimate what amount may be agreed upon or in default of agreement may be determined by arbitration under the Treaty to be due from the Free State.