§ 2. Sir ASSHETON POWNALLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make any statement with regard to his interview with Lord Goschen on the subject of the settlement of Russian debts?
§ 1. Mr. SMITHERSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement with regard to the Russian Debts and Claims Committee and sub-committees; whether they have met since the House rose in December; and whether any progress towards a settlement has been made?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir John Simon)I would refer my hon. Friends to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for South Kensington (Sir W. Davison) yesterday.
§ 4. Mr. ALBERYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the fact that the Soviet Ambassador was unable to make any proposal regarding debt settlements, if His Majesty's Government propose to take any steps to deal with the pre-War Russian balances, credit and debit, still outstanding in this country?
§ Sir J. SIMONAs at present advised, His Majesty's Government do not propose to take any steps in this connection.
§ Mr. ALBERYAre the Government aware that there are still large sums in some of the banks of this country standing to the credit of former Russian banks?
§ Sir J. SIMONYes. The whole matter, as the hon. Gentleman will appreciate, raises issues of great legal complexity, but I can assure him that the considerations he has in mind will not be overlooked.
Captain CROOKSHANKDoes that mean that His Majesty's Government are waiting for the Soviet Government to take the initiative about this?