§ Mr. David Adamsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Ethiopia was invited to sign the declaration repudiating all claims by enemy subjects to have acquired properties in invaded territories, even though such claims are based upon apparently legal forms; whether the Emperor had been advised to place such properties under control of the Custodian of Enemy Property until the close of the war; and whether he will now direct the Custodian to release to the Ethiopian Government all properties acquired by enemy subjects during the occupation, together with all payments made to him in respect of them?
§ Mr. LawHis Majesty's Minister was instructed to communicate the Declaration of 5th January in advance to the Ethiopian Government and to invite them, on behalf of all the parties to that Declaration, to make a pronouncement associating Ethiopia with it. As regards the second part of the Question, the Emperor of Ethiopian has by a Prolcamation cited as the "Land (Restoration and Compensation) Proclamation, 1942" set up machinery to deal with lands which had been acquired by Italians by confiscation, expropriation and other compulsory means. The Custodian of Enemy Property concerned is the Ethiopian Custodian, an official of the Ethiopian Government, to whom my right hon. Friend is not in a position to give instructions.