§ 77. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what sum total has been paid by His Majesty's Government in grants-in-aid to Cyprus; when the last grant-in-aid of £50,000 was paid; whether any of those grants have been treated as loans; how much is at present paid by the Cyprus treasury towards the interest on the Anglo-French guaranteed Turkish loan of 1855; and whence the balance of interest on the loan comes?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Amery)The total grants-in-aid made by His Majesty's Government from 1879 to 1926 inclusive amount to £1,839,335 The grant for £50,000 for the current year is being paid as usual. None of these sums are loans or repayable. With regard to the fourth and fifth parts of the question, I would refer to the replies given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Member for Ilford (Sir F. Wise) on the 17th February and 3rd March, 1925.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODAre we to understand from the right hon. Gentleman that the French, so far, have not acted up to their obligations under this loan, and are leaving it entirely to the British taxpayer?
§ Mr. AMERYNo, I am not aware of that. If a question on that matter is desired to be put, it had better be addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs it not a fact that all the money we are paying, £50,000 a year, is coming from the British taxpayer, and going to the bond-holders under this loan?
§ Mr. AMERYNo. The money is paid to Cyprus to make it easier for Cyprus to pay her instalment of £92,000 a year.
§ Sir A. SINCLAIRYes, Mr. Speaker, but is it not a fact that all the assistance given to Cyprus is given by the British taxpayers exclusively, while the instalments paid by Cyprus are shared between French and British bond holders?