§ 29. Mr. BATEYasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the amount of the yearly salary and expenses of Sir Percy Cox, High Commissioner for Iraq, and the total cost of the mansion built for him in Iraq; and on what grounds it is now proposed to give him an additional £5,000?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe salary of Sir P. Cox as High Commissioner for Iraq was Rupees 75,000 per annum. In addition, he drew a personal allowance of Rupees 15,000 and an entertainment allowance of Rupees 15,000 per annum. I have already given the House full particulars as to the cost of the British Residency in Bagdad. I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Maidstone on the 28th November last. With regard to the last part of the question, the grounds on which the present grant is proposed are stated in Part III of the Supplementary Estimate now in the hands of hon. Members, and it is granted on account of his long distinguished career in the service of the Crown, not only in Iraq, but in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREIt is paid in rupees, and it is probably all spent in that country. The rupee is calculated, I suppose, at 1s. 4d.
§ Major PAGETAre not the services which have been rendered by this distinguished officer very exceptional, and has he not effected the saving of many millions of money to the British taxpayers?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GORECertainly Sir Percy Cox's whole record during the War and before the War was a most remarkable one.
§ Mr. BATEYWill the hon. Gentleman say what are the special services of the Commissioner which it is proposed to recognise in this way, and will he tell us what is the amount of his salary in English money?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member had better put that question down on the Paper.