HC Deb 30 June 1958 vol 590 cc59-60W
60. Mr. Parkin

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that there are certain British refugees from Egypt who are unable to take advantage of opportunities to re-establish themselves in business because the loans available against their lost personal assets are not adequate; and whether he will allow the Resettlement Board in these cases to add to these loans further amounts against business assets to a total limit of, say, £3,000.

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

The ex-gratia loans made in relation to the personal assets of refugees from Egypt range up to 70 per cent. of the reckonable personal assets in the case of small owners, and up to a ceiling of £5,000. In addition to granting these ex-gratia loans, the Anglo-Egyptian Resettlement Board has authority to make grants or loans not related to assets in Egypt to those whose most appropriate means of resettlement would be to establish themselves in a business in this country. The ceilings here are £750 for a grant and £2,000 for a loan. During the financial year 1957–58, the Board made grants of over £30,000 and loans of more than £21,000 under this authority.