HL Deb 03 March 1959 vol 214 cc648-9
LORD KILLEARN

My 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 how much of the £3,300,000 released from Egypt's blocked sterling balances accrue to them as shareholders in the Suez Canal Company.]

THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (THE EARL OF DUNDEE)

My Lords, no decision has yet been taken by the Suez Finance Company about the distribution to its shareholders of the instalment of compensation which it received on January 1, 1959, from the United Arab Republic.

LORD KILLEARN

My Lords, while thanking the noble Earl for his Answer—I do not want to pursue the matter any further to-day—can he tell us the proportion of the British Government's holding in the Canal Company?

THE EARL OF DUNDEE

I think I have that figure: it is just under one-third.