HC Deb 13 November 1957 vol 577 cc956-7
65. Mr. Kershaw

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now take steps to ensure that the claims of British subjects dismissed from the service of the Egyptian Government in December, 1951, receive consideration equal to that given to British subjects who suffered as a result of the events of 1956.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. D. Ormsby-Gore)

In the Anglo-Egyptian talks in Rome in May this year, in which the claims of British subjects arising out of the events of 1956 were discussed, the British delegation also placed on record with the Egyptian delegation the claims of these officials dismissed in 1951. Their association has been assured that at the talks which were resumed last month, and are now in progress, our delegation will continue to urge a settlement of these long-outstanding claims.

Mr. Kershaw

Is the Minister aware that, in the meantime, these unfortunate people have nothing to live on? It is very difficult to understand why, whatever the origin of their claims against the Egyptian Government, they should not be treated in exactly the same way as people who were immediately affected by the events of 1956.

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

It is not true that these people have nothing to live on. If there are real cases of hardship they can go to the Anglo-Egyptian Resettlement Board, which has the authority to give them relief. The reason that they are not placed on the same footing as the other claimants was made clear in a very long Answer which I gave on 30th October.

Mr. Younger

Is the Minister of State contending that these people are any less victims of the Egyptian action resulting out of the quarrels between Governments than those who left Egypt in 1956? Is it not possible to put the 1951 victims on the same basis as those of 1956, as regards granting them loans on the security of the claims which may or may not succeed against the Egyptian Government? If it can be done for the 1956 people why not for the 1951 people?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

For the simple reason that the conditions under which the people left in 1951 were very dissimilar to the conditions under which people left in 1956. I am sure that the best way to get compensation for these people is to press on with the talks which are going on with the Egyptian delegation.

Mr. Younger

Irrespective of how they left in 1951, is it not a fact that their claims have been prejudiced with the Egyptian Government by the events of 1956? They were hoping that their claims would be settled until 1956. Are they not just as much the victims of the events of 1956 as those whose claims only arose in that year?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

I have already said that their cases are not the same. That is why they are being dealt with in a different manner.