§ 71. Mr. LAMBERTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what potentates contiguous to Iraq are subsidies paid by the British Exchequer; and what is the amount to each?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe only potentate contiguous to Iraq who is in receipt of a subsidy from the British Exchequer is Ibn Saud, Sultan of Nejd, regarding whom an answer was given to the hon. Member for East Leyton (Mr. Malone) on 14th February.
§ Mr. LAMBERTMay I have the amount of the subsidy paid to this Gentleman?
§ Viscount CURZONBefore that question is answered, may I ask whether that subsidy is actually paid in gold?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe subsidy is paid in gold. I am not quite sure at the moment as to the exact figure, but I think it is £60,000 a year to the Sultan of Nejd, and if my right hon. Friend will read the section of the Geddes Report dealing with this matter, he will see that the matter is treated there.
§ Mr. LAMBERTThe Geddes Committee's Report says that £150,000 a year is paid to some of these potentates and rulers. How is it that there is such a discrepancy between this £60,000 a year to this Sultan somebody or other, and the Geddes Report?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have to answer the question which my right hon. Friend puts on the Paper; it would be improper for me to do anything else. He asks me "to what potentates contiguous to Iraq are subsidies paid?" There are other potentates who, although they live in Asia, are separated from Iraq by considerable stretches of intervening desert, and I have not included subsidies that they may receive.
§ Mr. LAMBERTOnce before I asked the right hon. Gentleman a question as to what rulers or potentates in Iraq were receiving subsidies. Why is he continually trifling with the House?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf the right hon. Gentleman puts the word "contiguous" in his question, he must be satisfied with "contiguous" in the answer.