RUSSIA (BRITISH EMBASSY PLATE).

HC Deb 08 July 1935 vol 304 cc3-4

4. Sir WILLIAM DAVISON

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will inform the House as to the proposals of the Russian Soviet Government for compensating the British Government in respect of the balance of the plate and other property taken by Soviet Government officials from the British Embassy, seeing that the Soviet Government have now stated that after further search they have been unable to discover any additional pieces of plate or other property apart from what had already been restored to the British Government?

Sir S. HOARE

The Soviet Government have made no such proposals.

Sir W. DAVISON

Have not the British Government demanded immediate payment of compensation, having regard to the fact that this property was taken from the Embassy by Soviet officials and that British Embassy officials were taken to the State prison of St. Peter and St. Paul; and does not my right hon. Friend think that we ought to demand that compensation should be paid for such property as has not been returned?

Sir S. HOARE

As I informed my hon. Friend last week, the claims of His Majesty's Government for compensation in this case have been referred to the Russian Claims Department of the Board of Trade. We could not treat the claims of the Government in any way differently from the claims of many individuals who also claim compensation from the Soviet Government.

Sir W. DAVISON

Does not my right hon. Friend recognise that it is a different thing—the British Embassy raided by State officials; there is no question of irresponsible gangsters or marauders—from the ordinary claim for property taken throughout Russia?

Sir S. HOARE

We have hitherto taken the view—and I agree with it—that it would be unfair to many private claims if we adopted an attitude in the case of Government claims different from the attitude which is being adopted in the case of private claims. It would be, in a sense, giving precedence to one claim over other claims.

Sir W. DAVISON

What is the present position with regard to all the claims?

Mr. THORNE

Wipe them out.