§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD BARNBYMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government if they will state whether any change has recently taken place in the annual contribution to the State of Jordan, and on what annual amount contributions, if any, are being currently made.]
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF READING)My Lords, no change has recently been made in our annual contribution to Jordan. This falls under two heads: first, the subsidy to the Jordan Arab Army and, secondly, other financial assistance for defence purposes. The level of the latter was agreed at £1,100,000 for the current year, and, of this, £1,000,000 has already been paid. The level of the subsidy during the current years, however, has never been agreed with the Jordan Government. Meanwhile, monthly issues have been, and are for the present being, made on the basis of the agreed total subsidy of £9,108,000 paid by Her Majesty's Government in 1955–56.
§ LORD BARNBYMy Lords, I thank the noble Marquess for his reply. In view of the information given in another place, I would ask him whether, in the case of an ordinary commercial transaction entered into between two parties, involving payments of a regular character, if one party unilaterally acts in a way which seems to impair the agreement, it would not be natural that payments should be suspended.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, this is not a commercial transaction; it is a Treaty obligation. As regards the position with Jordan, they have not 1179 unilaterally denounced the Treaty; they have told us that they propose to ask for negotiations with a view to its abrogation.
§ LORD KILLEARNMy Lords, am I right in believing that, in his original reply, the noble Marquess emphasised the words "at present"?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, I do not know whether I emphasised them, but they were contained in my reply.
§ LORD BARNBYMy Lords, is the noble Marquess in a position to inform the House whether the interpretation which he has put on this transaction, from the point of view of the responsibility of the British taxpayer, is in accordance with the view held by the Treasury Solicitor?
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, I am not in a position to say that, because I am not in a position to say what are the views of any civil servant. I am here as a Minister to express the Government's view.