HC Deb 05 March 1883 vol 276 c1423
SIR WILFRID LAWSON

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Sir E. Malet, on February 15th 1882, declined to sanction the voting of the internal Budget by the Egyptian Parliament, on the ground that the Egyptian decree establishing the control "had the nature of an International engagement," and "could only be modified by the consent of the Governments of England and France;" and, whether Her Majesty's Government obtained the consent of France before they advised the Khedive to issue the recent decree abolishing the control, and whether that consent was also obtained to the appointment of Sir Auckland Colvin as financial adviser to the Egyptian Government?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

Sir, my hon. Friend will find the exact statement made by Sir Edward Malet in a despatch dated the 13th of February, 1882, which appears at page 27 of "Egypt, No. 7, 1882." At that time the Control was still in undisputed existence. The views of Her Majesty's Government as to its character and the circumstances which justified its abolition are fully given in Lord Granville's despatch contained in "Egypt, No. 20." The consent of France was not obtained by the Khedive to the issue of the Decree abolishing the Control, or to the appointment of a European Financial Adviser.

SIR WILFRID LAWSON

Has the consent of France been given to abolish the Decree under the law called the Law of Liquidation?

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE

I must ask for Notice of that Question.

MR. O'DONNELL

asked, whether the noble Lord intended, in answering Questions in that House, to confine himself to references to dates and Papers, instead of giving an answer to the Question?

[No reply.]