§ Mr. Sargoodasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that many British subjects, the Church of England Cathedral in Cairo and business firms in Egypt, have suffered considerable hardship owing to the failure of the Egyptian Government to take steps to meet their claims for compensation on account of damage to property during riots in Cairo and Alexandria in November, 1945, and February and March, 1946; whether he will state the amount and nature of claims put forward; and whether His Majesty's Government will bring home to the Egyptian Government their responsibility in the matter, seeing that the damage was largely due to the failure of the Egyptian authorities to take effective action to prevent rioters from attacking British property.
§ Mr. MayhewYes. Claims to a total of about £46,450 have been made against the Egyptian Government on account of damage to British property during the riots in November, 1945. Claims arising out of riots in February and March, 1946, amount to some £5,500 for civilian claims and £17,700 for destruction of British military property. His Majesty's Ambassador at Cairo presented a full list of British claims to the then Egyptian Prime Minister, Sidky Pasha, as long ago as94W July, 1946. His Excellency undertook to have them considered, but as yet further representations to his successor, Nokrashi Pasha, have remained unanswered, and it appears that the present Egyptian Government have no intention of paying any compensation to these unfortunate victims of mob violence. His Majesty's Government do not, however, intend to lose sight of this matter and will continue to urge the Egyptian Government to admit and fulfil their liability towards claimants.