§ 41. Mr. GRIFFITHSasked the Secretary of State for Air the number of native encroachment holders in Iraq; what is the amount of rent and rebate they pay; whether the rent is credited to public funds and the rebate to the funds of the local unit of the Air Force; and whether arrangements will be made that all payments made by native traders in respect of land or premises on certain encroachments in Iraq shall be credited to public funds?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe answer to the first part of the question is, approximately, 160 encroachment holders. As regards the remainder of the question, under the arrangement now in force, as the result of full consideration of all the circumstanees, the encroachment holders pay no rebate direct to the units; they are charged a full commercial rental which covers not only the value of the encroachments and of any buildings used, but also the privilege of selling to the forces. Of this rental 50 per cent. is credited to public funds and 50 per cent. to unit fends. Payments made by the encroachment holders for water, light or other services rendered are separately credited, in full, to public funds. The new arrangement only came into force on 1st December last and no information is available in regard to the total amounts of the payments and receipts involved.
§ Mr. GRIFFITHSMay I put a question down again in order to get the information asked for in the last part of the question?
§ Sir S. HOAREYes, but I would suggest to the hon. Member that it would not be worth his while to put it down for some months, as the present arrangement only began in December last.