§ 25. Mr. HANNONasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he can state the extent to which public funds have been employed since 1919 in promoting the activities of the Empire Cotton Growing Association; the total amount expended for this purpose from all sources; and the sums provided by private contributions to supplement Parliamentary grants?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI have been asked to reply. A capital grant of £978,715 was made by His Majesty's Government to the Empire Cotton Growing Corporation in November, 1921, and before that date £10,000 had been paid to the Empire Cotton Growing Committee which preceded it. The capital grant has been invested and retained intact. As the result of the levy of 6d. a bale on cotton consumed in the United Kingdom, the corporation has received from the industry between January, 1922, and March last a total sum of £372,547. The total amount of the expenditure during that period, part of which is recoverable, has been £471,215.