§ Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a protest has been lodged with the authorities and sent to the Press in Egypt from a large number of notables, merchants, lawyers, doctors, and engineers against the actions of the 437W officials in regard to the Assiut incident, and that a request was made by them for the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry into the procedure of the administration; whether the papers dealing with the incident have been filed by the Egyptian Government; and whether, since this means that the Egyptian Government refuses an inquiry and seeing that British officials were involved as well as Egyptian, His Majesty's Government will invite the inquiry as far as the British officials are concerned?
Mr. HARMSWORTHHis Majesty's Acting High Commissioner has reported that such a protest has been lodged, but I have not yet learned how it has been disposed of. I understand that the Egyptian Procurator-General did conduct an inquiry, but I am not aware that any British officials were involved.
§ Mr. LUNNasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the "Times" correspondent in Cairo is a certain Mr. Merton, who is also an official in the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture; and whether, since it is irregular for officials under Government to hold the position of newspaper correspondent, he will have this inquired into?
Mr. HARMSWORTHI understand that the facts are as stated by the hon. Member. The matter, however, is one which solely concerns the Egyptian Government.
§ Mr. SWANasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information to the effect that certain members of the Egyptian bench have presented a petition to the Sultan complaining that the law of seniority has not been observed in the latest list of promotion?