HC Deb 01 July 1931 vol 254 cc1253-4
7. Mr. HASLAM

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is now in a position to make any statement on the confiscation of British travellers' money under the currency regulations introduced by the Russian Government last March?

Mr. DALTON

No, Sir. My right hon. Friend has as yet only received an interim reply from His Majesty's Ambassador, who will report further as soon as possible.

Mr. HASLAM

Has the Foreign Secretary made any protests on these confiscations of travellers' money, which have now been going on since last March?

Mr. DALTON

Our Ambassador in Moscow has been asked to take the matter up with the Soviet authorities. He has already done so, and he hopes to send us a further report shortly as to what their attitude is on the representations which he has made.

Sir WILLIAM DAVISON

Why is it that negotiations with the Soviet autho- rities always take nine or 10 times the length of negotiations with other foreign countries?