§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards securing compensation for those British citizens held hostage by Iraq during the Gulf war. [33058]
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§ Sir Nicholas BonsorThe governing council of the UN Compensation Commission—UNCC—last met in Geneva on 28 and 29 May and approved the second instalment of 62,122 category 'C' claims—which include compensation for having been held hostage. Some 235 British claimants in this instalment have been awarded a total of $4.6 million.
Payment of compensation will not be possible until UN Security Council resolution 986—oil for food—is implemented and sufficient money has accumulated in the compensation fund.