§ 52. Mr. Swinglerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial claims are outstanding against the Roumanian Government; and to what extent these claims relate to events before 1945, and to what extent they relate to events since 1951.
§ The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Henry Brooke)United Kingdom financial claims outstanding against the Roumanian Government are estimated to amount to over £150 million. About one-third relates to events before 1945; practically nothing relates to events since 1951, the only increases in the total debt since that date having been in respect of arrears of interest on bonds.
§ Mr. SwinglerIs the Financial Secretary aware that some of these claims are comparatively ancient and have been made against a series of Roumanian Governments in the past? Will he give an assurance that these claims, which are not the responsibility of the present Roumanian Government, with whom the right hon. Gentleman is now negotiating about trade, will not be allowed to stand in the way of the successful negotiation of a trade agreement?
§ Mr. BrookeThe President of the Board of Trade told the hon. Gentleman a minute or two ago that he could not say anything about commercial negotiations while they were still in progress. I must take the same line about financial negotiations.
§ Mr. SwinglerSurely the hon. Gentleman could give that assurance? While clearly he cannot say anything about contemporary claims which are the direct responsibility of the present Roumanian Government, surely he could give us an assurance that the older claims, about which the Government were unable to obtain satisfaction from previous Roumanian regimes, will not be allowed to stand in the way of the successful negotiation of a trade agreement?
§ Mr. BrookeWith the best will in the world, I am afraid I cannot go farther than I have done.