§ Mr. RAFFANasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether 669W his attention has been called to the claims lodged in February, 1920, with the secretary, Clearing Office, Enemy Debts, in regard to large amounts owing by German firms to Messrs. Harrison, McGregor and Company, Limited, Albion Ironworks, Leigh, Lancashire; whether he is aware that, with one exception, all the claims have been admitted by the indebted German firms and the amounts in question paid over to the German Government; that, notwithstanding this, no payments whatever have been made to Messrs. Harrison, McGregor and Company, Limited, who are consequently handicapped in carrying on their engineering works and local employment is thereby curtailed, and that repeated applications to the Clearing Office have had no effect; and whether, under the circumstances, instructions will be given that the sums admitted and actually paid to the German Government shall be refunded to Messrs. Harrison, McGregor and Company, Limited, out of the proceeds of German assets made in this country or other action taken to ensure that the matter shall be immediately dealt with?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI have been asked to reply. These claims were contested by the German Clearing Office on the ground that the sums had been paid over by the debtors during the War to the German Custodian and must therefore be claimed from the German Government as proceeds of liquidation. As regards the position of claims of this nature, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for South East Essex (Lieut.-Colonel Hilder) on the 31st October.