§ Mr. RAWLINSONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any and what sum has been paid for the relief of the poor and starving people in foreign countries; how much has been spent in each country, and by whom have such funds been administered; and under what Vote such grants have been made?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe amounts shown in the attached statement were paid up to the end of the last financial1788W year for relief and reconstruction purposes in the countries specified:—
Country. Advances to Governments. Advances through Societies. £ £ Belgium 4,995,201 — Austria 3,794,376 131,298 Roumania 1,606,572 — Czecho - Slovakia 232,168 4,762 Jugo-Slavia 102,107 — Serbia 1,155,842 31,336 Poland 942,093 — Esthonia 158,821 — Lithuania 16,812 — Latvia 13,422 — Montenegro — 1,486
Advances to Societies for General Relief Purposes. British Red Cross (for Poland, etc.). 30,000 Anglo-Czech Relief Fund 15,400 Armenian Refugee (Lord Mayor's Fund). 37,728 Armenian Refugee (Clothing Fund). 34,933 Armenian Red Cross and Refuge Fund. 4,431 Jewish Victims of War in Russia 74,725 Palestine Relief Fund 2,000 Friends' Emergency Committee 69,229 Friends' War Victim's Relief 10,107 Scottish Women's Hospital Fund 8,208 Acton Lodge Famine Relief Fund 14,904 Westminster Catholic Federation 2,746 13,017,414 473,293 Total £13,490,707 The contribution took two forms:—
Both varieties of grants were made under the Vote of Loans to Dominions and Allies and for Relief.
- (1) Loans or grants advanced to the Governments of the countries concerned for relief or reconstruction.
- (2) Free gifts; these consisted of contributions under the £ for £ scheme to various approved societies, whose applications were recommended to the Treasury by the Official Committee for Relief.
As regards the current financial year the sum of £10,000,000 is provided in the Estimates for relief loans to Austria and Poland.
1789WIn addition, both the forms of grant made during the last financial year are being continued this year. A further sum of slightly over £4,000,000 is being advanced for Belgian reconstruction and an amount of approximately £3,500,000 is available for other relief and reconstruction purposes. In the latter sum an estimated sum of about £300,000 will be available for free gifts under the £ for £ scheme.
These grants are administered in the same manner as those made last financial year and are made from the same Vote (Unclassified Services, Vote 10).