§ 50. Sir BASIL PETOasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that there remains a balance of approximately £1,000,000 for distribution to civilian claimants for war reparation; 401 how and when this balance is to be paid over to these claimants; and whether the position of those claimants who served in the Merchant Navy during the War or their dependants will receive equal consideration in this respect?
§ Major ELLIOTMy hon. Friend is mistaken in thinking that any balance of the kind referred to in the question exists. As I stated in my answer on 26th May last, the Government cannot ask Parliament to provide further funds to increase the payments already made to claimants.
§ Sir B. PETOIs it not a fact that Parliament voted £5,000,000, and that only £4,000,000 has been paid in claims; so that there is a difference between these sums of approximately £1,000,000 which Parliament has actually voted for this purpose?
§ Major ELLIOTI went into this matter at some length in my answer of the 26th May. The fact remains that the claims of private individuals amount to about 1 per cent. of our total reparation claims from Germany. They have been paid out of money that we received from Germany, and we cannot make any further payment.