§ 10. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether oil has yet been discovered in paying quantities in the vilayet of Mosul or any other part of Mesopotamia; whether it is being worked; and, if so, how much has been extracted up to date?
§ Mr. AMERYSo far as concerns the Turkish Petroleum Company's concession the answer to the first part of the question 884 is in the negative, and the remaining parts do not therefore arise. The company did not start drilling operations until the 5th April of this year. The only part of Iraq in which oil is at present being worked is in the area near the Persian frontier known as the Transferred Territories. The production is not at present large, though I have not got the actual figures. Some reference to this area was made in the chairman's statement at the meeting of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company on 2nd November last, which the hon. and gallant Member has perhaps seen.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the Turkish Petroleum Company the only concern searching for oil in Mesopotamia?
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSWhat proportion of the capital of the Turkish Petroleum Company is British?
§ Mr. AMERYI could not say off-hand, but a certain proportion is held by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, which is a British company; and another portion—I think 20 per cent.—is held by the Shell Company, which is 40 per cent. British.
§ Mr. HARDIEWould it not be much better to take the oil from our own coal?