§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that Monsieur Vladimir Evreinow, a Russian subject, who was resident in England in 1920 and who, in that year, accepted a post in a Russian company at Tiflis, and who therefore obtained a passport bearing the visa of the British military authorities in this country for proceeding. via Turkey to Tiflis, was on arrival at Constantinople compelled by the British military or diplomatic authorities to vacate the ship upon which he and his wife and stepdaughter were travelling, and they were detained in Constantinople for six weeks before permission was granted for them to return to this country; that without any reason being assigned Monsieur Evreinow was not permitted by the British military or diplomatic authorities to proceed to Tiflis to take up his post, thereby incurring very heavy loss both in travelling expenses and loss of employment; that Monsieur Evreinow has informed the Foreign Office of the circumstances of his case, and that they have replied to him that the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs realised the embarrassing position in which Monsieur Evreinow was placed and regretted that it was ever found necessary to subject him to such great inconvenience, but that no compensation has been offered to him either for the monetary losses which he and his family incurred during their detention at Constantinople or for the loss of his post at Tiflis; and, under the circumstances, whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to justify their action in the matter or to offer suitable compensation to Monsieur Evreinow?
Mr. HARMSWORTHAs far as the action of the British authorities is concerned, the facts of M. Evreinow's case are in the main as set forth in the question. While regret has been expressed to him for any inconvenience to which he may have been exposed, it is not considered that there is any case for offering pecuniary compensation.