§ 27. Mr. SMITHERSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that the cost of running the Clearing Office for Enemy Debts has already involved British nationals in a personal private expenditure of £2,250,000, he will now discharge all individual balances of less than £50 each on outstanding accepted Anglo-Hungarian claims, subject to a special deduction as discount on the dividend of 4s. 2d. in the £ thus anticipated, and thereby hasten the disbandment of the Clearing Office for Enemy Debts to prevent further expenditure?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMThe Administrator of Hungarian Property has no power to give preference to one class of creditor over others. I would remind the hon. Member that the commission deducted by the Clearing Office from payments to British claimants, represents less than 2¼ per cent. of the total cash payments, and that without the intermediary of the 839 Clearing Office it would not have been possible to recover a large proportion of these moneys.
§ Mr. SMITHERSOn the general question can the President of the Board of Trade tell us when he expects that the Clearing Office will be closed?
§ Mr. GRAHAMNo, Sir. I have already been asked questions on that subject. The staff is diminishing, and the work is being wound up, but no one can give the definite date asked for.