§ MR. CUNINGHAME GRAHAM (Lanark, N. W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to protect the interests of Major Talbot and other British subjects, shareholders in the Imperial Tobacco Corporation of Persia, and of the employés of that Corporation, who are injured by the refusal of the Persian people to permit of its establishment in Persia, although a considerable sum of money had been paid for the concession given by His Majesty the Shah?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. J. W. LOWTHER, Cumberland, Penrith)Her Majesty's Government are in communication with the Chairman of the Company on the one hand, and with the Persian Government on the other, with a view to proper compensation being given to the Corporation for the abolition of the concession.
§ MR. C. GRAHAMMay I ask the hon. Gentleman whether Her Majesty's Government propose to force this compensation from the people of Persia after they have refused to allow the monopoly?
MR. J. W. LOWTHERI have informed. the hon. Gentleman that Her Majesty's Government are in communication with the Persian Government with a view to arriving at a satisfactory solution.
§ MR. C. GRAHAMWhat I want to ask the hon. Gentleman is, who is to pay this compensation after the people have refused to establish the monopoly?
MR. J. W. LOWTHERThat I conceive will be a matter for the Persian Government to settle with the Persian people.
§ MR. C. GRAHAMWhilst recognising that this is a matter for the Persian Government to settle with the Persian people, I hope that our Government will not commit the infamy of forcing this compensation upon the Persian people. That is what I wish to arrive at.