§ SIR ROBERT FOWLER (London)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the rumours which have been for some time in circulation on the subject of the proposed conversion of the Egyptian Preference Loan, and the reduction of interest from 5 per cent to 4 per cent, and to the official telegrams from Cairo recently published, such conversion has been submitted for approval to Her Majesty's Government, as one of the Great Powers whose consent is necessary; and whether in view of the opinions given by the hon. Member for Stockton and the hon. Member for South Hackney, that such conversion can only be effected with the consent of the bondholders, Her Majesty's Government will afford the bondholders an opportunity of stating their views before giving such consent?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON, Manchester, N.E.No formal proposal has been submitted to Her Majesty's Government, and until they are made acquainted with the terms of the proposed conversion, it is impossible for them to express any opinion, or to pledge themselves as to the course which they will adopt.