§ MR. KESWICK (Surrey, Epsom)To ask the Secretary of State for India what amount of Council Drafts on the Indian Treasuries, since April, 1905, have been brought to account in excess of 19,250,000 sterling, as entered in the Indian Government's Budget last March; what are the circumstances to which such excess drawings are attributable, and to what purposes have those funds been applied; what are the present amounts of the Indian Government's cash balances in India and at Home; if the latter largely exceed the amounts usual in former years; has due consideration been given to the effects on Indian commerce of such a large withdrawal of funds formerly available in the presidency banks for Indian trade purposes; are the recent accumulations of gold here on Indian account connected with the artificially established rate of exchange arranged for in 1900; what is the amount on balance of enfaced rupee paper sent from or returned to India during the same period.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The information asked for was given on the 1st instant in my reply to a Question put to me by the hon. Member for Hythe.†