HC Deb 12 June 1913 vol 53 cc1759-60
6. Mr. NORMAN CRAIG

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government exercised any and what control over the price to be paid to the Chinese Government for the bonds recently issued, or whether it was left to the determination of the British group, in consultation with the rest of the bankers of the international group, to fix the price to be paid to the Chinese Government?

Sir E. GREY

The minimum price payable to the Chinese Government was settled between them and the international group of bankers without the intervention of His Majesty's Govern- ment. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

7. Mr. NORMAN CRAIG

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the loan agreement signed recently between the Chinese Government and the quintuple group of bankers confers any special privileges upon the bankers in regard to future loan business; and, if so, what is the nature and extent of such privileges?

Sir E. GREY

I must ask the hon. Member to wait until he can himself examine the terms of the Agreement, which will shortly be laid before the House.

8. Mr. NORMAN CRAIG

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that an agreement between Russia and China with regard to Mongolia was initialled on the same day that the quintuple loan was signed; and whether the membership of Russia in the quintuple group of bankers is without connection with political considerations?

Sir E. GREY

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies returned respectively to the hon. Member for North Westmeath on 7th November last and to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds on 27th March last. The operations of the quintuple group have had nothing to do with political considerations of the kind mentioned in the question.

9. Mr. NORMAN CRAIG

asked whether the Government proposes to continue exclusively to support the Hong Kong and Shanghai Corporation and its associates in connection with the issue of future direct loans to the Chinese Government, or loans arising out of contracts for the construction of railways and similar undertakings?

Sir E. GREY

The future policy of His Majesty's Government is now under consideration, but I can make no statement at present.

10. Mr. NORMAN CRAIG

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will lay the correspondence connected with the Chinese loan agreement, in continuation of China, No. 2, of 1912 [Cd. 6446]?

Sir E. GREY

Further Papers will be laid in due course.