§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether Her Majesty's Government have yet obtained from their official records information regarding the generous Banaban contribution to the British war effort in World War II; and what is the value of these contributions in present day currency;
(2) whether Her Majesty's Government have yet obtained from their official records information regarding the generous contributions given by the Banabans to the war damaged cities of Plymouth and Portsmouth in 1947; and what is the value of these contributions in present day currency;
(3) whether Her Majesty's Government have yet obtained from their official records information regarding the generous Banaban contributions to Great Britain's war effort in World War I; and what is the value of these contributions in present day currency.
§ Mr. LuardI regret that no information is readily available from official records. But I have no reason to doubt figures of contributions brought to my attention by the hon. Member of £10,000 worth of copra in the first world war, £12,500 in the second world war and £1,000 shared between Portsmouth and Plymouth in 1947. At present day values these contributions would be worth about £126,000, £124,000 and £7,000 respectively.