HC Deb 07 February 1963 vol 671 cc97-9W
Mr. P. Williams

asked the Lord Privy Seal what progress has been made towards the distribution of the sums being made available to alleviate certain forms of hardship among British owners of property in the United Arab Republic.

Mr. P. Thomas

On 11th December, 1962, I announced that Her Majesty's

and non-local non-resident trainees and resident trainees, respectively, at his training centres; and on what date these rates were introduced.

Mr. Hare

Following is the information:

Government proposed to make available a sum of£2,500,000 for compassionate grants to relieve cases of comparative hardship among British owners of property which they were obliged, as a result of the events of October, 1956, to abandon in Egypt and which has since been immobilised so that they cannot use it or derive any benefit from it. I explained that this sum would also be used to assist in meeting certain kinds of claims arising out of those events which have not hitherto been eligible for compensation out of the funds available for distribution by the Foreign Compensation Commission.

It was further proposed that a sum of up to£500,000 should be provided for grants to assist with the payment of agents' fees and expenses incurred in negotiating the release of desequestrated property and the transfer of assets.

An independent Committee was to be set up to investigate the cases of hardship referred to above. This Committee, which will be known as the Egyptian Grants Committee, has now been constituted, under the Chairmanship of Sir Hugh Ellis-Rees, K.C.M.G., C.B. The Committee will also examine applications for grants towards agents' fees; and will make recommendations to my noble Friend the Foreign Secretary on the sums to be disbursed out of bath these allocations.

Applications for grants out of the£2½million fund must be made before 1st July, 1963. Applications for assistance towards the payment of agents' fees and expenses should be made as soon as possible. In either case the applications should be addressed to The Secretary, Egyptian Grants Committee, Charles House, 5–11 Lower Regent Street, London, S.W.1.