§ 99. Colonel Ponsonbyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the reimbursement by His Majesty's Government to Colonial Governments in the West Indies to discharge compensation to owners of private property expropriated in the establishment of bases by the Government of the U.S.A.
Mr. Creech JonesIn the Notes exchanged between the British and United States Governments on 2nd September, 1940, the United States Government agreed to pay such amounts as might be mutually agreed on to compensate the owners of private property for loss by expropriation or damage arising out of the establishment of the bases. To implement this provision, His Majesty's Government agreed to reimburse Colonial Governments the total expenditure incurred in connection with the compensation of private property owners, the United States Government, after having270W the property examined by their own appraisers, in turn reimbursing His Majesty's Government.
His Majesty's Government, however, subsequently agreed to meet, under Reciprocal Aid, all claims due to owners of private property in the territories concerned. Although Reciprocal Aid has now ended and any claims made after 1st September, 1945, will be subject to reimbursement by the United States Government in accordance with the agreement recorded in the exchange of notes, His Majesty's Government will continue to reimburse Colonial Governments. No part of the cost of such compensation, therefore, will fall on the Colonial Governments concerned.