§ LORD TEMPLEMOREMy Lords, I beg to move that the Motion standing in my name be approved.
§ Moved, That the Special Orders, as reported from the Special Orders Committee on Tuesday last, be approved.—(Lord Templemore.)
LORD STRABOLGIMy Lords, with reference to the second of the Orders, the Czecho-Slovakia (Settlement of Financial Claims) Order, 1940, my noble friends and I have looked into this and we have also had the advantage of consultation with our friends in another place who have taken especial interest in it. This Order is undoubtedly a great improvement on the original scheme, and our opinion is that it is a very fair arrangement all round. But I have been asked to say that we presume that the Government are aware that a great many of these unfortunate refugees, the victims of Nazi robbery and oppression, have been waiting a long time for their money, and that therefore the Government are alive to the need of the machinery working as rapidly as possible. We should like to be reassured that all care will be taken to hasten the settlement, so that these unfortunate people may soon get some of the money which is rightly due to them.
§ LORD TEMPLEMOREMy Lords, in reply to the noble Lord I have no hesitation in saying that this matter and the unfortunate plight of these people are fully present to the minds of the Government, and that care will be taken that the machinery is put into operation as soon as it can be done.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.