§ Sir W. RUTHERFORDasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the properties in Roumania belonging to divers British companies and undertakings whilst in the occupation of the enemy have been granted to German and Austrian syndicates for periods of ninety years; whether, seeing that the Public Trustee has in hand large sums of money the proceeds of enemy property realised in this country, he will see that such sums are not parted with without retaining compensation there out to the British companies and undertakings above-mentioned; whether it is by the instructions of the Government that the Public Trustee is rejecting the claims and referring claimants to a body called the Foreign Claims Office at the Foreign Office; and what are the functions of this last-mentioned body, and how constituted?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Bonar Law)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The question of claims by British subjects in respect of property situate in enemy or occupied territory will no doubt be taken into consideration in connection with the disposal of the 1819W proceeds of enemy property which has been realised in this country; but it is not possible at the present time to make a definite statement as to the action which His Majesty's Government will take.
The Foreign Claims Office was constituted by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for the purpose, inter alia, of dealing with claims arising out of the War by British subjects against foreign Governments. Claims arising out of the matters referred to in the question fall within the above definition, and therefore come within the scope of the Foreign Claims Office and not within that of the Public Trustee. The respective spheres of the Foreign Claims Office and of the Public Trustee are explained in a notice of which I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.