§ 1. Sir HILDRED CARLILEasked the-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is his intention, in the event of the financial houses forming the body known as the six-Power group deciding to-renew their understanding or agreement at the end of the year, that the Foreign Office should continue to support that group in its action relative to the financing of China; or whether he will inform the English section of the six-Power group that they will not be supported by the Foreign Office to the detriment of other English financiers who may be willing to undertake Chinese business?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Edward Grey)I am not aware that the agreement between the six-Power group is likely to lapse at the end of the year, but in any case the policy of His Majesty's Government in the matter of Chinese loans has been clearly defined since the House met, and I have nothing to-add to the answers which I have already 211 given on this subject. With regard to the second part of the question, the hon. Member will be aware from the correspondence which has just been published that a condition of the support given by His Majesty's Government to the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank was that the British group should be expanded. The promise of support to the six-Power group applied to the period of negotiation and issue of the reorganisation loan.