§ Mr. ThorneTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to seek the recovery of gold taken from former British Gurkha soldiers in Calcutta in 1987 by the Indian customs service.
§ Mr. FreemanWe are in active discussion with the relevant authorities in India on ways of recovering the gold and on the question of documentation which would enable British Gurkhas to take gold through India en route for Nepal without risk of further such incidents. In the meantime we are seeking to ensure that those Gurkhas who were affected do not suffer hardship as a result of the temporary loss of their gold.