44. Captain CAZALETasked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he will consider the appointment of a Commercial Attache to the Embassy at Bagdad in view of the increasing importance of the trade between the Kingdom of Iraq and Great Britain?
§ Lieut.-Colonel J. COLVILLE (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)As my hon. and gallant Friend will be aware from the answer to his question on the 28th February, it has been decided to transfer the present Commercial Secretary to His Majesty's Embassy at Bagdad to Haifa, as Commercial Agent in Palestine, as from the 1st April. Adequate arrangements will be made at Bagdad whereby commercial work in Iraq will be continued, but owing to financial exigencies it is not proposed to fill the post of Commercial Secretary at that Embassy.
Captain CAZALETIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that the trade which was done between this country and Iraq last year was equal to the trade between this country and Persia and Turkey combined, and can he say whether it is the Treasury which is holding up this appointment?
§ Lieut.-Colonel COLVILLEI can only say, in answer to what my hon. and gallant Friend asks, that the commercial interests are not being lost sight of in this matter.
§ Brigadier-General Sir HENRY CROFTWould it not have been wiser for my hon. and gallant Friend to have asked his questions before we left Iraq rather than now?
§ Lieut.-Colonel COLVILLEOur interests will be represented in Iraq by the consular officer.