§ MR. MOLLOYasked the First Lord of the Treasury, If the action of Her Majesty's Government in Egypt is directed to prevent the Egyptian Chamber from exercising its right to vote its own Budget, as appears from Sir Edward Malet's prediction to that effect, in Despatch on page 52 of Blue Book, No. 3230, of 1882; and, whether he will take steps to ascertain from the de facto controlling powers in Egypt if they will not at once lay down their arms on being allowed the constitutional right referred to in preceding portion of this Question?
MR. GLADSTONEI observe that this is a prospective Question. Undoubtedly, there has been no action on the part of the Government directed towards preventing the Egyptian Chamber from exercising its right to vote its own Budget. Of course, I do not mean to say what precise amount of control over the Budget can be given to the Egyptian Chamber. That is a matter for future consideration, which it by no means depends upon us alone to settle. The hon. Member will recollect that international engagements having the sanction of a very large number of Powers are in question, and it is not in my power to say, even if I had the disposition to say it, that these international engagements ought to be left wholly at the discretion of the Egyptian authorities. But there is nothing to prevent the Egyptian Chamber exercising some control in reference to its finances.