§ 12. Major HAYWARDasked the Secretary of State for War whether there is any capital expenditure for military purposes in Constantinople which was not included in the estimate recently given of the monthly rate of military expenditure there; and, if so, what is the estimate for this capital expenditure in respect of the present financial year?
§ 13. Major ENTWISTLEasked the Secretary of State for War whether there is any capital expenditure for military purposes in Mesopotamia which was not included in the estimates recently given of the monthly rate of military expenditure there; and, if so, what is the estimate for this capital expenditure in respect of the present financial year?
§ 16. Mr. KENYONasked the Secretary of State for War whether there is any capital expenditure for military purposes in Palestine which was not included in the estimate recently given of the monthly rate of military expenditure there; and, if so, what is the estimate for this capital expenditure in respect of the present financial year?
§ 17. Mr. RAFFANasked the Secretary of State for War whether there is any capital expenditure for military purposes in Egypt which was not included in the estimate recently given of the monthly rate of military expenditure there; and, if so, what is the estimate for this capital expenditure in respect of the present financial year?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes; the rate of current cost given to the hon. Member for Wigan on 26th October was exclusive of capital expenditure on works and land. The latest estimate of expenditure under these heads during the current financial year is:—
| Mesopotamia and North-West Persia | £1,000,000 |
| Constantinople | 125,000 |
| Egypt | 90,000 |
| Palestine | 900,000 |
§ I may add that the total of these figures is considerably less than the amount provided in the current year's estimates for these services.
§ Mr. LAMBERTWill these figures of capital expenditure fall upon the British taxpayer, or will they be charged upon the revenues of the countries concerned?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIn the first instance they will fall on the British taxpayer. Some arrangement must be made to shelter the British troops from the sun and from the cold. I cannot avoid it. I put it off month after month and greatly reduced the expenditure which was contemplated this year. As to the expenses, some day it may be these Dependencies will assume the burden.
§ Mr. LAMBERTWhy should the British taxpayer be burdened with a cost of something like £900,000 of capital expenditure in Palestine?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIs not the £900,000 largely on account of the railway connecting the Egyptian State railways with Jerusalem, and will not the eventual cost be charged to the Egyptian State railways and the Palestine State railways respectively when the whole matter is wound up?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI hope it may be so.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERDo the particulars The right hon. Gentleman has given of Mesopotamia include any expenditure for sheltering troops in Northern Persia?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLA certain amount of hutting has been provided to enable the men to survive the winter in Northern Persia.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENWill any of this capital expenditure be recovered from the Anglo-Persian Oil Company?