HC Deb 12 May 1930 vol 238 cc1441-2
35. Mr. CHARLES WILLIAMS

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the proportion of British, French, Italian or Greek nationals in Egypt has increased of recent years?

Mr. DALTON

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer returned to the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Wardlaw-Milne) on the 7th of May. I regret that no more recent figures are at present available.

Mr. WILLIAMS

The hon. Gentleman has given me an answer to a different question. I asked him if the proportion has increased in the last few years; I did not ask for figures. The hon. Gentleman has made no attempt to answer the question. May I have an answer?

Mr. DALTON

May I put the same answer in a different way, which will be perhaps more readily intelligible to the hon. Member? The figures given in reply to the hon. Member for Kidderminster relate to 1917; since 1917, no census has been taken in Egypt, and consequently no later figures are available on which to base any comparison of the number of different nationalities in the Egyptian population.