§ 5. Commander BELLAIRSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Imperial Conference in 1911 passed unanimously a resolution that the Suez Canal charges were retarding the trade of the Empire; and whether he can give a comparison between the charges now made and those made in 1911?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The dues levied in 1911 on loaded vessels were 7.25 francs and on vessels in ballast 4.75 francs, while the corresponding charges to-day are 6.65 and 3.325 francs (i.e., gold francs per ton).
§ 6. Mr. ARTHUR MICHAEL SAMUELasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will ascertain and state what has been for the past five years the percentage of the total canal dues paid to the Suez Canal Company by British subjects; and similarly the percentage total 6 over the same period of purchases from British subjects of materials required by the Suez Canal Company?
§ Mr. GRAHAMThe information desired by the hon. Member is not available, but I am sending him the statistics of tonnage passing through the canal in the past five years showing the British proportion.
§ Mr. SAMUELDoes the right hon. Gentleman keep any record of the orders given by the French administration so as to see that British firms get their fair share of the purchase of materials for the canal?
§ Mr. GRAHAMI think that there is a separate question on that point, but there are very definite limits to the extent to which we can influence the operations of what is, of course, a separate company.
§ Mr. SAMUELBut, in view of the fact that British shipping provides the largest portion of the income of the Suez Canal, is it not reasonable that His Majesty's representatives should see that we get our fair proportion of the orders?
§ Mr. GRAHAMI have no doubt that they hear everything in mind, but I have already indicated the limits within which they work.
Mr. MACLEANSince the principle is laid down in the question that those who find the revenue of a company shall have something to say in policy, will the right hon. Gentleman see that that is carried into effect in regard to many of the companies in this country?
§ 42. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when each of the British Government directors on the board of the Suez Canal Company was appointed; and what is the channel of communication between His Majesty's Government and these British directors?
§ Mr. DALTONSir Ian Malcolm was appointed in 1920; Sir J. T. Davies in 1922; and Lord Cromer in 1926. Communications with these directors pass through the Foreign Office.