HC Deb 30 June 1925 vol 185 cc2246-7W
Colonel DAY

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of persons who have settled in any of the Colonies, or Dominions, under the Empire Settlement Act of 1922, and the amount of money expended by the Imperial or by any of the Dominion Governments under this scheme; what portion of the same represented loans; how much of the same has been repaid; and what proportion of the amounts advanced includes schemes arranged between the Imperial Government and philanthropic societies, in which the Dominion Governments do not share?

Mr. AMERY

1. The number of persons who, up to 31st March, 1925, sailed from the United Kingdom with assistance under the Empire Settlement Act, 1922, is as follows:

2. The amount expended by His Majesty's Government under the Empire

— 1922–3. 1923–4. 1924–5. Total.
Under Schemes with Overseas Governments: £ £ £ £
To Australia … … … 26,279 308,084 251,210 585,573
To New Zealand … … … 9,185 60,951 89,956 160,092
To Canada … … … — 36,093 65,270 101,363
Totals … … … 35,464 405,128 406,436 847,028
Under Schemes with Societies:
To Australia … … … Nil 5,094 7,240 12,334
To New Zealand … … … Nil Nil 557 557
To Canada and other Dominions … … … Nil 13,772 24,818 38,590
Totals … … … Nil 18,866 32,615 51,481
Grand Totals … … … 35,464 423,994 439,051 898,509

3. Of this expenditure, the amount recoverable, and the recoveries up to 31st March, 1925, are as follows:

— 1922–3. 1923–4. 1924–5. Totals.
Loans. Recovered. Loans. Recovered. Loans. Recovered. Loans. Recovered.
Under Schemes with Overseas Governments: £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
To Australia … 2,342 1,481 144,469 32,254 90,071 343 236,882 34,078
To New Zealand … 2,110 2,061 5,041 2,712 6,314 308 13,465 5,081
To Canada … — — 27,759 13,055 39,105 9,564 66,864 22,619
Totals … 4,452 3,542 177,269 48,021 135,490 10,215 317,211 61,778
Under Schemes with Societies:
To Canada … Nil Nil 6,238 230 3,666 122 9,904 352
Grand Totals … 4,452 3,542 183,507 48,251 139,156 10,337 327,115 62,130

4. Detailed information regarding the expenditure incurred by the Dominion Governments is not available. The basis of the Empire Settlement Act is that His Majesty's Government cannot bear more than half the expenditure under agreed schemes.