§ Mr. Barstowasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the financial indebtedness of Greece to this country; whether there are any additional loans to the one of 1898 and eight and one-fifth per cent. interest; and whether any instalments of interest have been paid during the period of the war.
§ Sir J. AndersonPresumably my hon. Friend, in referring to a loan of 1898 at eight and one-fifth per cent. interest, has in mind the 2½ per cent. Guaranteed Gold Loan of that year, of which less than £40,000 nominal is outstanding. In addition to this loan, bondholders in this country are chiefly interested in the following external loans of the Greek Government: 7 per cent. Refugee Loan, 1928; 6 per cent. Stabilisation Loan, 1928; 6 per cent. Public Works Loans of 1928 and 1931; and ten smaller loans issued before the last war. The total nominal value of all these loans at present outstanding is about £17,750,000. At the beginning of the war the Greek Government was paying 40 per cent. of the interest due on these loans. As from 1st April, 1940, this rate was increased to 43 per cent., but payments were stopped in April, 1941, at the time of the German invasion of Greece. In addition to the market loans to which I have referred, H.M. Government have lent the Greek Government £46,250,000 during the war.