§ 48. Sir Ralph Glynasked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to make a statement concerning the serious economic loss sustained by the Netherlands through the flooding of large areas of valuable agricultural land; and whether, in view of the statement recently published by the Netherlands Government, a joint reply by the United Nations can be made without undue delay.
§ Mr. AttleeHis Majesty's Government have received from the Netherlands Government an official communication reserving the right of the Netherlands to claim, in compensation for the damage and destruction wrought by the Germans, a suitable part of adjoining Prussian territory, which should either be ceded or brought into the dominion and economic orbit of the Netherlands in some other manner, on a provisional or permanent basis.
The whole world has been shocked by the devastation and destruction wantonly wrought in Holland by the German invader. So far as His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom are concerned, I can say that all just claims for territorial compensation at the expense of Germany which the Netherlands Government may eventually decide to put forward will be given energetic support.