Lieut.-Colonel V. HENDERSONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that there was an annual average surplus of £50,000, being excess of revenue over expenditure in the working of the Iraq railways during the years 1923–24 and 1924–25, he will, in conformity with the agreement by the Government of Iraq to liquidate liabilities incurred, as expressed in Article XV of the Anglo-Iraq Treaty, impose some charge for interest on the capital value of the railway, and thereby ensure that some return on the capital accrues to the Imperial Exchequer?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe Article referred to does not apply to the railways, which remain the property of His Majesty's Government, the management and administration only having been transferred. The railways are specially dealt with in Article VIII of the Financial Agreement (Cmd. Paper 2120, 1924), in accordance with which any surplus receipts are being supplied.