§ 5. Commander SOUTHBYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the claims of the Russo-Asiatic Consolidated, Limited, against the Russian Government; and whether he has taken the matter up with the Russian Government through the Soviet Ambassador?
§ 11. Sir WILLIAM DAVISONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can inform the House as to what has happened in connection with the claim of the Russo-Asiatic Consolidated, Limited, against the Russian Soviet Government for £56,000,000 in respect of the confiscation of their property in Soviet Russia; and what action the British Government are taking in support of the claim of this British company?
Mr. A. HENDERSONThe claims of this company arise out of losses due to the revolution of 1917. It is, therefore, one of a number of similar claims registered at the Board of Trade and now forming a subject of discussion by the Joint Anglo-Soviet Committee sitting in London.
§ Mr. MARJORIBANKSIs this not an entirely different matter from the Lena Goldfields case, in which the Soviet Government have repudiated the arbitration award?
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs the right hon. Gentleman Not aware that the delay in the settlement of this matter involves a loss to British shareholders of about £8,000 a day, and will he urge the Committee to proceed with greater speed?
Mr. HENDERSONI can assure my hon. Friend that I am doing all that I can to keep the Committee sitting in order to facilitate a settlement.
§ Commander SOUTHBYWill the Foreign Secretary answer the last part of my question as to whether he has taken the matter up with the Russian Government through the Soviet Ambassador?
Mr. HENDERSONIt is not necessary for me to take the matter up with the Ambassador when there is a Committee sitting dealing with the whole question.
§ Commander SOUTHBYWill the right hon. Gentleman take up this question with the Ambassador?
§ Mr. KIRKWOODHow many supplementaries are allowed?