§ 27. Colonel Sir JAMES REYNOLDSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can give any information as to the action taken or proposed to be taken in regard to the non-payment by the Soviet Government in connection with the award in the Lena Goldfields arbitration?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir John Simon)Negotiations with a view to a settlement of the company's claim are proceeding between His Majesty's Ambassador in Moscow and the Soviet authorities.
§ Mr. WARDLAW-MILNECan the right hon. Gentleman say how long these proceedings have been continuing?
§ Sir J. SIMONWhat I was referring to in the answer I have just given were the negotiations which were started recently on the instructions of the Government.
§ Sir WILLIAM DAVISONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that when the last negotiations took place, at the suggestion of the late Foreign Secretary, at Berlin, going on for many weeks, they resulted in an offer of £200,000 in respect of an arbitration award of £13,000,000?
§ Sir NICHOLAS GRATTAN-DOYLEHas there been any advance in the negotiations since six months ago?
§ Sir J. SIMONYes, in this sense, that instructions were sent to His Majesty's Ambassador in Moscow, in the light of the mattter just referred to, to discuss the matters with the Soviet authorities on certain lines indicated.