§ 19. Sir WILLIAM DAVISONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the reasons given by the representatives of the Soviet Government for declining to 536 make any proposal with regard to the repayment of bank balances of British subjects in the Russian-English Bank at Petrograd and elsewhere which were appropriated by the Soviet Government?
§ Mr. EDENAs indicated in the statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend on the 2nd February, no detailed proposals for the settlement of any class of claims were considered during the negotiations last year. No statement was, therefore, made by the Soviet representatives on the point raised by my hon. Friend.
§ Sir W. DAVISONSurely, after all these months and years of negotiation, the Soviet Government must have indicated their attitude towards the claims of British citizens whose private property was taken?
§ Mr. EDENMy hon. Friend will be aware that the attitude of the Soviet Government was made clear by their decrees of 1917 and 1918.
§ 45. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the failure of the Russian Soviet Government to submit any proposals with reference to the money and property of British nationals appropriated without compensation, steps will be taken to terminate the trade agreement and impose a duty on all Russian goods and products entering this country for the establishment of a fund from which compensation can be paid to British creditors?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Ramsay MacDonald)I have every sympathy with my hon. Friend's anxiety that the claims of British subjects against Russia should be met, but I do not think that his suggestion offers a satisfactory solution of the difficulty.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Foreign Secretary invited me to suggest some means by which compensation would be made to British citizens who have had their property taken? What is the objection to the suggestion made in the question, especially as the British market is essential for any success of the Five Years Plan?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is perfectly true, and we are very much obliged to the hon. Gentleman for making the suggestion, but I do not think that it is 537 practicable. For one thing, we want revenue from Russian goods for general State purposes.
§ Sir NICHOLAS GRATTAN-DOYLEIs any progress being made with the negotiations with the Russian Government which have gone on for so long?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI should be very much obliged if the hon. Member would put that question to the Foreign Office.