§ 4. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he was consulted prior to the issue of licences for the export of 2,000,000 Lee-Enfield cartridges on 9th November, 1927, of 400,000 cartridge clips on 22nd November, 1927, and of 2,000,000 Lee-Enfield cartridges on 1st March last, all to the Hejaz; to whom these 4,000,000 cartridges and 400,000 clips were actually sold; and what guarantee has he that these munitions will not be used against His Majesty's forces by the tribesmen or feudatories of Ibn Saud, King of the Hejaz?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Amery)The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, but I understand that the Foreign Office and the Service Departments concerned were consulted before the licences in question were issued. The 791 cartridges and clips were sold to the Hejaz Government. The latest information tends to show that the King of the Hejaz is dissociating himself from the aggressive actions of the Nejdian tribesmen and is not supplying them with ammunition.
§ Mr. DALTONCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us, in reply to the last part of the question, whether there is any guarantee that these arms are not already in the possession of Ibn Saud?
§ Mr. DALTONMay I further ask, whether in future some steps will be taken by the Colonial Office to prevent the possibility of British soldiers being killed by arms manufactured in this country?
§ Mr. AMERYThere is no evidence yet that they have been killed. As a matter of fact, no British soldiers have been killed.