VISCOUNT COLVILLE OF CULROSSasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress has been made towards the distribution of the sums being made available to alleviate certain forms of hardship among British 780WA owners of property in the United Arab Republic.
§ THE EARL OF DUNDEEOn December 11, 1962, it was announced in Parliament that Her Majesty's 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. It was 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 the Foreign Secretary on the sums to be disbursed out of both these allocations.
Applications for grants out of the 2½ million fund must be made before July 1, 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.
The House adjourned at twenty minutes before eight o'clock.