§ Sir R. Taskerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what machinery exists to compensate British subjects for losses sustained through Nazi action; and whether he will consider giving an early assurance of compensation to those who have suffered loss, in view of the fact that credit facilities are vital to prevent collapse of firms whose assets have been confiscated by the German Government?
§ Sir J. SimonIt is, I fear, impossible to hold out any hope that the question of compensation being granted to British subjects for losses sustained through enemy action can be dealt with until after the conclusion of the war. I fully recognise the hardship caused to these and to others on whom the outbreak of war has inflicted serious loss, but in the existing circumstances we are bound to conserve our financial resources for the prosecution of the war and are not, therefore, in a position to grant compensation at the expense of the general taxpayer to meet such hardship.