§ 3.40 p.m.
§ THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)My Lords, with permission, I will make a statement on I payments to British nationals expelled from Egypt similar to one being made in another place, in answer to a Question, by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
As the House will be aware, the Anglo-Egyptian Resettlement Board was set up earlier this year to deal with those British subjects who were arriving in this country from Egypt, who were in need. Her Majesty's Government have been considering whether the definition of hardship under which the Board at present operates should be drawn somewhat wider to include those concerned who are suffering hardship through being deprived of access to their assets. It has been decided that this can best be achieved by a scheme of ex gratia loans as a measure of interim assistance. These payments will be calculated on the basis of the declarations of assets registered with the Foreign Office. The scale runs from a figure of 70 per cent. for reckonable assets of £2,000 or less up to £5,000 where reckonable assets to the value of over £20,000 have been declared. Particulars of this scheme will be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following are the particulars referred to:
§ 1. Applications
§ Applications for loans should be made to the Anglo-Egyptian Resettlement Board, 3, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, S.W.1. The Board will consult the Foreign Office who will, in accordance with the declarations of individual assets registered with it, determine the amount of each applicant's reckonable assets. The Board will then make payment in accordance with the scale in paragraph 3 below.
§ 2. Basis of payments
§ The assets reckonable for the purpose of the scheme will be the following tangible items:—
- Land,
- Buildings,
- Furniture and Personal Effects,
- Vehicles, Boats and Livestock,
- Bank Balances, Cash Deposits and Securities in Egypt,
- Articles deposited for safe keeping,
- Indemnities,
- Water, Gas, Electricity and Customs Deposits,
- Securities on deposit in the United Kingdom.
§ 3. Scale
§ The scale of payments will be as follows:—
§ Reckonable assets declared and Amount of Loan
| Up to £2,000 70 per cent. | £1,400 max. |
| £2,001–£2,500 £1,400 (70 per cent. of first £2,000) plus | £100=£1,500 |
| £2,501–£3,000 £1,400 (70 per cent. of first £2,000) plus | £200=£1,600 |
| £3,001–£5,000 £1,400 (70 per cent. of first £2,000) plus | £600=£2,000 |
| £5,001–£10,000 £1,400 (70 per cent. of first £2,000) plus | £1,300=£2,700 |
| £10,001–£15,000 £1,400 (70 per cent. of first £2,000) plus | £2,000=£3,400 |
| £15,001–£20,000 £1,400 (70 per cent. of first £2,000) plus | £2,700=£4,100 |
| £20,001 and over | =£5,000 |
§ 4. Persons eligible
§ Persons eligible for payments under the scheme are all British nationals who left Egypt as a result of the events of last year, and who have, before July 15, 1957, registered declarations of assets with the Foreign Office.
§ 5. Relationship to previous loans from Resettlement Board
§ In making payment under this scheme, no account will be taken of the grants made previously by the Resettlement Board, nor of advances against Egyptian pensions. But loans which have been made by the Board will be taken into account in calculating the amount to be loaned under the scheme. It will be for the individual to decide whether he is eligible in respect of hardship for the scheme and, if so, whether he wishes to take advantage of it. But once he has done so, he will not normally be eligible for further help from the Resettlement Board.
§ 6. Duration of scheme
§ Applications for loans should be lodged within three months, but refugees now in, the care of the Board who have not by that date been able to resettle themselves here, or whose emigration arrangements have been delayed, may defer their application with the consent of the Board.
§ 7. Repayment
§ The Board when making payment will ask each individual to sign an undertaking to repay. But no one will be asked to make any repayment until he can receive a return from the Egyptian Government in respect of his individual claim.
1101§ 3.42 p.m.
§ LORD SILKINMy Lords, we are grateful for this statement. It is a little belated, in view of the debate that is to take place on this subject to-morrow, particularly as part of it will only be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I imagine that it was impossible to have made an earlier statement, but it will somewhat restrict those who intend to take part in the debate to-morrow. Subject to that, I have no comments to make at this stage.
LORD GIFFORDMy Lords, I have also listened with great interest to the statement made by the noble Viscount. As your Lordships know, this is a subject in which the noble Lord, Lord Killearn, and other noble Lords have taken great interest. The statement discloses some advance on previous offers to help these people which have been made by Her Majesty's Government. It is a matter which we shall have to study between now and to-morrow when deciding on the course of the debate. Lord Killearn particularly asked me to express his apologies for not being here to-day. He was in the country when he received news of this statement at about one o'clock, and he could not possibly get up here in time for it. He will, I know, wish to study this, statement most carefully between now and to-morrow.
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, may I ask the noble Viscount one question? I think he said that this was to be a scheme of ex gratia loans. I do not quite understand what that means. May I ask at this stage whether these loans, being ex gratia, are interest free?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMThese loans, I believe I am right in saying, are interest free.