§ Mr. DARBISHIREasked the President, of the Board of Trade the approximate total amount represented in the claims submitted to the Royal Commission on War Damage; and whether the assessments of such claims made by the Commission 1860W are only to apply for the purpose of allocating the £5,000,000 set aside by the Government as an ex-gratia payment, and will not prejudice the claims for payment out of reparations?
Mr. ALEXANDERIt is not possible to state, even approximately, the total of the amounts claimed, since in a large number of cases no sum is specified. The obligations of Germany in respect of reparation are obligations to the Allied Governments entitled to reparation and not to individual nationals of those Governments, and, accordingly, the second part of the question does not arise.