§ 34. Mr. Turtonasked the Minister of Food for what purposes a further £8 million has been advanced to the Overseas Food Corporation since 31st March, 1949.
§ Mr. StracheyOf this amount £420,400 was advanced for the Queensland British Food Corporation. The balance was for the development of the East African Groundnuts Scheme. It was required mainly for capital expenditure on clearing, housing and new transport facilities, partly for meeting the ordinary charges of the Corporation.
§ Mr. TurtonCan the Minister say, with regard to the major portion of it, in which region this capital expenditure is being made?
§ Mr. StracheyIn the answer to a supplementary question, I cannot give a detailed account of it, but a large part, for example, was used for the railway in the Southern Province which the Governor of Tanganyika opened a fortnight ago.
§ Mr. Charles WilliamsDoes any of this sum appear in the Service Estimates?
§ Mr. StracheyNo, Sir.
§ Mr. PiratinHas the Minister seen the report of a speech made by the right hon. Gentleman the Foreign Secretary yesterday in which he said that part of the purpose of our expenditure in East Africa was for defence, and can he say whether any of this money has been allocated for that purpose?
§ Mr. StracheyNo, Sir. In the report of the speech of my right hon. Friend which I saw, he said that the development of these territories would strengthen this country in peace and war, and that seems perfectly correct.
§ Mr. StracheyI have given the House the figure already. It is roughly £29 million.