§ Mr. John HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy that the Albanian gold bullion held by Britain following the second world war is returned to the Albanian Government only on payment of full compensation at today's value to the families of sailors who died and the survivors of the crews of HMS destroyers Saumarez and Volage sunk by Albanian mines in 1946.
§ Mr. WaldegraveOur policy remains that we shall be able to agree to the Tripartite Gold Commission's releasing gold to Albania only when Albania has paid the compensation awarded to Britain by the International Court of Justice in the Corfu channel case. This delay will not, however, penalise the survivors and the families of those killed on board HM ships Saumarez and Volage. All concerned were fully compensated at the time under the regulations then in force.