§ Mr. Brocklebank-Fowlerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking in consultation with the Portuguese Government to facilitate the payment of compensation to British farmers who were dispossessed of their land in Portugal by the provisional Government in 1975.
§ Mr. JuddHer Majesty's Embassy in Lisbon has repeatedly made representations to the Portuguese authorities about the payment of compensation to the owners of expropriated property; when I was in Lisbon in June this year I also raised the matter. A Compensation Law was promulgated on 26th October. The final legal requirement before substantive negotiations on compensation claims can begin is the publication of two executive Decree-Laws allowed under the Law. Her Majesty's Embassy in Lisbon made further representations about this on 25th November; we have been informed that the Decree-Laws will be published by the end of this month.