§ 27. Mr. LEACHasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the value of the exports of all classes of produce from the Soudan in 1905 and 1911, respectively?
Mr. ROBERTSONMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The approximate value of the exports from the Anglo-Egyptian Soudan in 1906, the first year for which statistics are available was £165,000. In 1911 the value of the exports was about £1,400,000.
§ 28. Mr. LEACHasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what his Department is doing to encourage the growth of cotton in the Soudan?
§ Mr. ACLANDThis matter can hardly be adequately dealt with in answer to a question, but my hon. Friend will have an opportunity for raising it when the proposals for a Soudan Loan, which were referred to in the King's Speech, are laid before Parliament. The development of cotton growing in the Soudan has received close attention from the Soudan officials and from Lord Kitchener, and the Bill that will be presented to the House in connection with a loan being raised by the Soudan is evidence of the desire of His Majesty's Government and, if it passes, will be evidence of the desire of the House, to encourage the object referred to in the hon. Member's question.