§ Mr. SackvilleTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in regard to the distribution of the moneys received from the People's Republic of China under the claims agreement of 5 June 1987.
§ Mr. MellorDetermination of claims against the China compensation fund was entrusted under the Foreign Compensation (People's Republic of China) Order 1987 to the Foreign Compensation Commission which is being assisted in performance of its administrative and executive tasks by the private accountants Ernst and Whinney.
By the deadline for submission of bond claims on 30 June, 1,849 claims in respect of 233, 941 bonds with face values in 15 different currencies had been received. However, these figures may rise slightly as the commission considers in the light of the provisions of the commission's China rules of 1988 those cases where applicants had given notice of their claims, but had not delivered application forms to the commission on or before the cut-off date.
The deadline for submission of claims against the China fund in respect of debts, bank balances, shares and other property is 31 August. Application forms have been sent by Ernst and Whinney to the 542 claimants registered under the 1980 order (who are required to resubmit their claims under the 1987 order) and to 550 new inquirers. Thus far, 368 property claims have been received.
Those who intend to submit property claims before the 31 August deadline should contact the Foreign Compensation Commission c/o Ernst and Whinney, Alexandra House, Kingsway, London WC2B 6TT (Telephone 01–379–7088) to obtain application forms and explanatory leaflets if they have not already done so.