§ 73. Major Wallasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the amount of land acquired by compulsory purchase by the Government of Cyprus or the Defence Departments in the Famagusta area in 1955 and 1956; and what were the total sums originally offered by the Government and the sums actually paid for the land after submission to arbitration.
§ Mr. ProfumoThe following is the Answer:
1. 678 donums of land at Famagusta were acquired by compulsory purchase in 1955 and 1956. Of this, 182 donums were acquired by the Cyprus Government and 496 donums by the War Department. (Figures are to nearest donum, which is approximately one third of an acre).
2. Details of sums offered and paid by the Cyprus Government are:—
- (a)For 40 donums acquired for the Antiquities Department, the Government orginally offered £8,000 and subsequently paid £23,000 as awarded by the District Court after arbitrators nominated by Government and landowners had failed to reach agreement.
- (b)For 79 donums acquired in connection with port extension, the Government offered £53,725 which was accepted by and paid to landowners.
- (c)For 3 donums acquired in connection with port extension, the Government offered £1,500 which was not accepted and for which arbitration proceedings are still pending.
- (d)Compensation for remaining 60 donums also acquired in connection with port extension is still under negotiation with landowners and no final offers have yet been made.
3. Compensation offered by the War Department was £62,019 of which only £3,466 was accepted by owners of 19 donums of land involved. Arbitration proceedings in respect of remainder are still pending.