§ *MR. LEIF JONES (Westmoreland, Appleby)I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now lay upon the Table the terms of the provisional agreement which has been concluded with the Mullah.
§ THE UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Earl PERCY,) Kensington, S.I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to my hon. friend the Member for King's Lynn on the 10th inst†. There is no object in laying the terms of a provisional agreement which is to be superseded by the fuller treaty concluded with the Italian Government.
§ *MR. LEIF JONESIs there any special reason for withholding this agreement?
§ EARL PERCYThere is no reason whatever.
§ *MR. LEIF JONESHow does the noble Lord know that there is no object in laying it on the Table of the House?
§ EARL PERCYIt is an incomplete document, merely an abbreviated form of the Italian Agreement, and it is to be superseded by another treaty.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar)Can the noble Lord give an explanation of the long delay in the information coming to the Government as to the actual position between them and the Mullah. The arrangement was made six or eight weeks ago.
§ EARL PERCYI gave an identical Answer ten days ago. Some of the delay has been caused through the transmission of telegrams between this country and Somaliland.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)Will the definitive agreement, when it
† See (4) Debates, cxlv., 1478.277 arrives, be laid on the Table of the house?
§ EARL PERCYOh, certainly.
§ MR. CROOKS (Woolwich)Will it have the Mullah's signature?
§ [No Answer was returned.]