Dr. RUTHERFORDI beg to ask the Prime Minister whether His Majesty's Government will give at least one day in every session for the discussion of Egyptian affairs, so that the House and the country may more thoroughly realise their responsibilities and better discharge their duties to Egypt as long as the British occupation continues.
§ *MR. REESBefore the Prime Minister answers, will he say whether there is any justification for the inference contained in the Question that the country does not thoroughly realise and thoroughly discharge its duties towards Egypt?
§ The PRIME MINISTER and FIRST LORD of the TREASURY (Sir H. CAMPBELL - BANNERMAN,) Stirling BurghsI have no wish to underrate the importance of Egypt, but neither in Foreign nor Colonial affairs has it been the custom of the Government to select individual subjects connected with 60 these Departments and to allocate a special day to them as a matter of annual procedure. In view of the great and varying demands made upon the time of the House I do not see my way to depart from this practice. Very full information is laid before Parliament every year in the report of His Majesty's Consul-General at Cairo and there are each session several opportunities for discussing it.