§ Mr. WARDLAW- MILNE by Private Noticeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any information regarding the alleged abdication of the King Ali of the Hedjaz; whether Jeddah has fallen to the Wahabis; and whether the Government has received any communication from Ibn Saud?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONYes, Sir. Information has been received that King Ali abdicated officially on the 19th December and that a provisional Government under the local Governor is making arrangements to hand over the town of Jeddah peacefully to Ibn Saud, whose troops are expected to enter it on the 23rd December. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONI have only just received this question and I am afraid I cannot give that information.