HC Deb 07 March 1927 vol 203 c822
12. Sir ROBERT HAMILTON

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the amount of money that has been expended since the Armistice in obtaining the advice of technical experts, outside the Colonial service, in matters of transport and harbour works in the Crown Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated Territories?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Amery)

It is not possible to give the exact sum paid for such technical advice, supervision, inspection, etc., without very laborious investigation, but the total is something over £400,000, of which about £375,000 covers the payment to consulting engineers in respect of harbour and transport works.

Sir R. HAMILTON

Would that include the cost of passages?

Mr. AMERY

I could not say off-hand. In the main the amount consists of the ordinary scale fees of the consulting engineers for their part in the different works.