§ 2 and 3. Sir John Mellorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) how many British officers and constables of the Egyptian city policy have, up to the present time, lost their employment in consequence of the provisions of the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty; on what scale has compensation been paid to them by the Egyptian Government; how many have been re-employed in the public services of British, Colonial, or Mandated territories; and at what rates of pay;
(2) how many British officers and constables of the Egyptian city police are at present under notice of discharge in consequence of the provisions of the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty; what progress has been made in the discussions between His Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo and the Egyptian Government with regard to 1121 their compensation by the Egyptian Government; and what is the prospect of other employment being available for them on their discharge?
§ Mr. EdenAs the reply is somewhat long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the reply:
§ The contracts of the British officers and constables of the Egyptian City Police do not expire until 31st May next, from which date seven British officers and 77 constables have received notice of discharge. Two additional British officers and six constables have resigned voluntarily. As regards compensation, the Egyptian Government on 7th March approved, for officers and constables not previously compensated, a gratuity of one month's pay for each year of service (subject to a maximum of 12 months) and effective repatriation expenses on the following scale:—One month's pay for those in receipt of salaries of not less than £50 a month, and six weeks' pay for those receiving a salary of less than £50 a month.
§ With a view to finding other employment for these men every assistance is being given locally, and 24 European officers and men, 20 of whom are British, have already secured fresh employment. Further, every hope is entertained that seven British subjects will be given employment in the Malta Dockyard Police and possibly some others at Gibraltar. As regards employment in the Colonial Service, I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies that it has not yet been found possible to offer employment to any of the British commissioned officers, and that in any case suitable vacancies are of a very infrequent occurrence. As regards the British constables, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 27th January. The Secretary of State for the Colonies has as yet received no information on the outcome of the discussions between certain Colonial administrations and His Majesty's Ambassador in Cairo regarding the possibilities of absorbing any of the British constables, except in the case of Palestine, where I understand employment with the British section of the Palestine police has been offered to four British constables, only one of whom was, how- 1122 ever, prepared to accept this employment. Further, there is a possibility that employment may be found for 12 more constables in Palestine.