23. Mr. L. MALONEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the position of Ibn Sa'ud, the Wahabi emir; whether His Majesty's Government still recognise him as King of Nejd; whether His Majesty's Government still pay him a salary; and, if so, how much?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIbn Saud is Sultan of Nejd and its dependencies, and is recognised as such by His Majesty's Government. The arrangements for giving financial assistance to this chief, which I explained to the House on the 14th June last, still hold good.
Mr. MALONEWas this money obtained by the Wahabi Emir in defending himself against attacks made upon him by King Hussein and the Emir Abdulla and are not these gentlemen also receiving salaries from us; and will the right hon. Gentleman tell us how many kings and emirs in that part of the world are receiving subsidies from the British Government?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLHad my hon. Friend been in his place when I made my statement last year, he would have had the advantage of hearing a very full account as to what has been done with regard to these different Arab potentates, with the sole object, not of stimulating them one against the other, but of preventing them fighting one against each other.