§ Mr. Knox Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has yet considered the bulletin being published on 1st August by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, setting out the arrangements that have been made to collect a surcharge to pay for the operation undertaken by the United Nations to clear the Suez Canal; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydYes. The Bulletin issued by the Secretary-General of the United Nations concerning the proposed Suez Canal surcharge is being published today and the text was communicated to me in advance.
The Bulletin provides that whoever pays the transit tolls of ships using the Suez Canal shall pay a surcharge of 3 per cent. of these tolls to the Banque de la Société Générale de Belgique which has been designated as the United Nations collecting agent. The surcharge will continue in force until the United Nations expenditure on the clearance of the Canal has been recovered. It is expected that this will be in about three years. The sums collected will be used by the United Nations to repay the loans made to them for the clearance of the canal and to reimburse the United Kingdom and French Governments with the costs of the Anglo-French salvage fleet while it was under the command of the United Nations. These arrangements will take effect from 15th September.
220WHer Majesty's Government attach importance to the successful working of the scheme and they hope that United Kingdom toll-payers will co-operate fully in carrying it out. They have undertaken in principle to reimburse United Kingdom shipowners and charterers who pay tolls and details of how this is to be done are being worked out with the General Council of British Shipping. Her Majesty's Government's decision to reimburse is, however, based upon the proviso that other countries concerned, and their shipowners, co-operate in the scheme. Her Majesty's Government could not accept a position in which the United Kingdom was left to pay an excessive share, and accordingly reserve the right to review their decision from time to time in the light of the working of the scheme.
The Secretary-General and other Governments concerned have been informed of Her Majesty's Government's decision.