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7 NOVEMBER 1955 '” Light Railways Limited, the assets of which have been seized by the Egyptian Government and put up for auction. Mr. Turton: Since my noble Friend's reply on 30th ch, the Egyptian Gov- ernment have twice put the asscts of the company and the concession 10 adjudi- cation in accordance with the Concession Deed and Schedule of Conditions. There were no tenders, and it is understood that the assets of the company have _be- come the property of the Egyptian Gov- erament. Meanwhile, the company’s plea that it was force majeure that prevented it from running iis services efficiently and economically is still before the Egyptian Government. The hearing of the deben- ture holders” law suits has been postponed until 6th January. . a Mr. Braine: is my right hon. Friend aware that I was told in January that Her Majesty's Ambassador in iro was making strong representations to the Egyptian Government on this subject and that the matter then was sub judice and that the Egyptian authorities were making some inquiries? Is my right hon. Fricnd aware that I was told the same thing in March? Does his reply now mean that the British assets have been scized by the Egyptian Government and that there is no question of compensation being paid? If that is so, will further representations be made and at the same time some action taken? toe ~ Mr, Turton: In the case of the deben- ture holders, the matier is before the; Egyptian courts and is, therefore, su fudice. \t wou)d be quite impossible to interfere while the matter is sub judice. iat s ICELANDIC FISHERIES DISPUTE gyn e .-- 16. Wing Commander Bullus asked the Secretary of State for Forcign Affairs what progress has been made to end the three: ears-old dispute of this country with Nand over the fishing industry. - Mr. Turton: I regret that I cannot yet announce any substantial progress. special Group of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation, which 4s considering the dispute, 1s not yet ready forepot. 2 Lee + Mr, Fletcher-Cooke: Is my right bon. Friend aware that the Council of Europe, uc +, +. ba Moree on Belgian initiative. is interesting itself, in this maticr? Is he further aware that unless the O.F.E.C. produces some result fairly soon the Council of Europe will inevitably propose—I hope with the blessing of my right hon. Fricnd—to refer this matter to the peaceful settlement of disputes procedure, which the Council of Europe is at the moment erecting? | Mr, Turton: On the first point, the Icelandic Government have recently issued a further memorandum to the Council of Europe, and that is now being studied. On the work of the O.E.E.C., the Next meeting of the Eroup has been pro- visionally fixed for 28th November.- _ De. King: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is a tragedy that two free and very friendly nations cannot scttle this -, difficulty between them? Will he not ask- the British fishing industry to make a ce an ture towards peace by dropping the on Icelandic fish? - - *7 1" Mr. Turton: 1 weree it is a tragedy that this dispute should have occurred, but I hope very much that the work being done by the group of O.E.E.C. will have satis- factory results. - FORMER FOREIGN OFFICE z OFFICIALS (DISAPPEARANCE) ~ 17 and 18. Lieut.-Cotonel Cordeaux asked the Sccretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) why the secret and widespread inquiries begun by the security authorities in January, 1949, as stated in Command” Paper No. 9577 of September, 1955, in-* cluded no inquiry into the background of Mr. Donald Maclean before he joined the” Foreign Service in 19353 0.7.4 0% (2) how many Foreign Service officers, having access to highly secret information, have Econ discharged from the service or removed from their posts as a result of - the security checks on all such persons recommended in the report of the com: - mittee of Inquiry in November, 1951, and put into effect in $952 - > ~ . 23. Dame Irene Ward asked the Secro- lary of State for Foreiga Affairs, in view _ of the fact that Guy Burgess’s Communist Jeanings were common knowledge durin, his career prior to his applying for entry to the Foreign Service, why his Depart- ment was unaware of this information ;. and what steps he has taken to satisfy ~~ 14700. 5"