HC Deb 14 July 1931 vol 255 cc230-1
40. Mr. LAMBERT

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can state what countries and Dominions will have debts due to Great Britain remitted under the proposed suspension of War Debt payments, together with the amounts of each country's or Dominion's remission?

Mr. P. SNOWDEN

I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a detailed statement of the inter-Governmental payments due to His Majesty's Government in the year 1st July, 1931, to 30th June, 1932. It is not possible at this stage to give a statement of the debts which will actually be suspended, as this will depend on the acceptance of President Hoover's proposal by the other Governments concerned and the arrangements finally made to give effect to that proposal.

Mr. ARTHUR MICHAEL SAMUEL

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider recasting the old printed financial statement, Number 90, so as to give hon. Members an opportunity of understanding it?

Mr. SNOWDEN

I do not see that that has the slightest relation to the question on the Paper.

Following is the statement:

INTER-GOVERNMENTAL DEBTS due to the United Kingdom in the year 1st July, 1931, to 30th June, 1932.
£,000.
Germany (Reparation) 14,442
France (War Debt and Hague Annuity) 13,314
Italy (War Debt and Hague Annuity) 4,471
Belgium (Hague Annuity and Reconstruction Loans) 1,042
Rumania (War Debt, Relief Debt and Repatriation of Prisoners of War) 469
Portugal (War Debt) 350
Jugoslavia (War Debt and Relief Debt) 459
Greece (War Debt and Loan for stores) 361
Poland (Relief Debt, Repatriation of Prisoners of War and cost of occupation of Upper Silesia Plebiscite area) 600
Estonia (Relief Debt and Loan for stores) 70
Austria (Relief Debt) 107
Latvia (Loan for Stores, and Repatriation of Prisoners of War) 75
Lithuania (Loan for Stores, and cost of occupation of Plebiscite area) 33
Czechoslovakia (Repatriation of Prisoners of War) 106
Australia (War Debt) 3,920*
New Zealand (War Debt) 1,746
South Africa (War Debt) 337†
Newfoundland (War Debt) 21
Trinidad (War Debt) 28
Jamaica (War Debt) 3
India (War Contribution) 836
42,790
* Not including £1,628,000 previously postponed in respect of the principal of the Australian Debt.
† South Africa has expressed the wish to make this payment as usual.