§ Captain N. KNIGHTSasked the Prime Minister if he is aware that under the terms of the Peace Treaty with Germany and the Order in Council made in pursuance thereof, German subjects resident in Germany during the War are placed in a more favourable position than British and Allied subjects so resident with regard to pre-War debts due to them from persons resident in Great Britain, inasmuch as a German subject is entitled to obtain payment of such debts together with interest at 5 per cent., but a British or Allied subject can only obtain payment without interest, although prevented under the Trading with the Enemy Acts from obtaining payment during the War; and whether steps will be taken to rectify the position of these British and Allied subjects?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have been asked to answer this question. The Clauses of the Treaty relating to the payment of debts regulate only the rights as between allied and enemy nationals. The question of the rights of British creditors as against their British debtors is outside the scope of the Treaty. Cases of the 1469W nature referred to in the question are comparatively rare and do not appear to call for special legislation.