HC Deb 11 August 1882 vol 273 cc1522-3
MR. MOLLOY

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If he will state why the Political Correspondence on the affairs of Egypt, be- tween the close of the year 1880 and the 9th September 1881, has not been published to Parliament, and whether he will cause the same to be laid upon the Table of the House; whether he is able to assure the House that, during the period in question, the Despatches from Egypt did not contain information as to the growing National discontent against the European control; and, whether, upon the pacification of Egypt, Her Majesty's Government will merely recommend the continued payment of £150,000, under the Law of Liquidation of 1880, or whether they will recognise in full the claims of the Egyptian cultivators in respect of the £17,000,000 advanced by them to the general Revenue, and applied in great part to payment of the bondholders' claims?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

The Correspondence previous to September, 1881, was not laid before Parliament because there was not sufficient public interest in the affairs of Egypt to call for its presentation at the time, and it was not included in the Papers laid at the beginning of this Session, as it then appeared to be out of date. From an examination of the Correspondence which has been made this morning, there do not appear to be any despatches containing the information suggested by the hon. Member; but further search will be made, and if any Reports on the subject that admit of being published are found, they will be given. In answer to the last part of the hon. Member's Question, I have to point out that the arrangements under the Law of Liquidation constitute an international engagement, and that it is not within the competence of Her Majesty's Government to alter them.

SIR WILFRID LAWSON

asked, whether the hon. Baronet would lay on the Table Papers that showed these were international engagements?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

, in reply, said, that these Papers were already in possession of the House.

MR. O'DONNELL

asked if the hon. Baronet would mention any Paper on the Table of the House which showed that there were international engagements?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

Will the hon. Member put the Question on the Paper?