§ Sir T. BENNETTasked the Secretary of State for War the result of his inquiries addressed to the Government of India as to the total cost of the East Persia Cordon Expedition; whether the information he has received distinguishes between the expenditure on the road from Dazdup to Meshed and the buildings thereon; whether an estimate for the work was prepared beforehand; and in what Votes of the House sanction for this expenditure is to be found?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI have received from the India Office a report from India to the effect that the total cost of the expedition was £16,500,000, that the cost of the road cannot be stated separately, and that the estimate made for the works was of the general character which was the only one possible under active service conditions. As regards the last part of the question, in the years 1915–1G to 1918–19, the expenditure was charged, like all other war expenditure, to the Votes of Credit; in 1919–20 the expenditure was provided for under head 1, sub-head E, Mesopotamia and Persia; and in 1920–21 the expenses of the force during the course of its withdrawal were included under head VI, sub-head L, with other payments to the Government of India in respect of terminal charges of the War.