§ 51. Mr. FELLasked if the question of the offer of one or more "Dreadnoughts" by the Empire of India must first come before the India Office in London or before the Government in India; and if the question of such an offer is at present under consideration by the Government?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt would be within the competence cither of the Government of India or of the India Office to raise the question, though a definite offer could not be made without the approval of the Secretary of State in Council. The question has not been raised, and I understand that the view of the Indian authorities is that the share of the defence expenditure of the Empire as a whole already borne by India is on a sufficiently high scale and should, if possible, not be increased.