§ Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the latest discussions by the member Governments of the Tripartite Commission for the Restitution of Monetary Gold regarding the residue of gold and its possible distribution to individuals. [12996]
§ Mr. David DavisThe Tripartite Commission for the Restitution of Monetary Gold last met in Brussels on 17 December. In the light of suggestions from Jewish organisations that part of the commission gold be made available to benefit individual victims of Nazism, the tripartite Governments have decided to continue the technical and administrative preparations for the final distribution of the residue of gold, but not actually to begin the distribution. One factor that the tripartite Governments will take into account when considering the final distribution of gold will be the outcome of research currently being undertaken by the US presidential task force on Nazi gold, and separately by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, into the origin of the commission gold pool.