§ MR. J. M. ROBERTSON (Northumberland, Tyneside)I beg to ask the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether having regard to the fact that of the 50,000,000 tons of Nile mud which pass through the Assouan dam annually it is estimated that 30,000,000 tons are lost in the sea, while only 20,000,000 tons are utilised as manure, he will advise the Egyptian Government to adopt measures whereby such a large amount of waste may in future be prevented.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir EDWARD GREY, Northumberland, Berwick)The Egyptian Government are fully aware of the importance of utilising the Nile flood to its fullest extent, and large sums are yearly spent in improving the irrigation system of the country. Irrigation has made very great progress in the last few years, and the progress will be continued, but it must be gradual.