Captain BENNasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the sum of 2½ per cent. which is deducted from the amounts paid in compensation by the German Government to those who suffered loss during the War as the result of enemy action is retained by the British Government as commission for the collection of these amounts?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI presume that the reference is to the commission charged by the Clearing Office in respect of payments out of German assets in this country on account of awards under Article 297 (e) and Clause 4 of the Annex to Section IV of Part X of the Treaty of Versailles. The commission is charged pursuant to paragraph I (vi) of the Treaty of Peace Order, 1919, and is employed in defraying the expenses of the Clearing Office.