§ Major GLYNasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the debt, if any, that the Government of the Sudan owes to Great Britain and the Government of Egypt, respectively; what are the powers of the financial adviser to the Government of Sudan; what control, if any, has the British Government, through the Treasury, to supervise the expenditure of public money raised in Great Britain for the benefit of the Sudan; what was the estimated cost in 1914 of public works in the Sudan that were approved; what was the nature at these works and what have they each separately cost up to date; and how much more is it estimated they will cost before completion?
Mr. HARMSWORTHUnder the Sudan Guaranteed Loan of 1919, the Sudan Government has incurred debt in Great Britain to the extent of £6,380,000. The amount of the Sudan's indebtedness to Egypt has not been definitely fixed.
The head of the Finance Department in the Sudan is the Financial Secretary, an administrative official, who is a member of the Governor-General's Council by which the Sudan Government Budget is passed.
As regards the third part of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the statement on this subject of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 5th April, and as regards the remainder of the question, to my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Stafford on 20th June, 1921.
§ Major GLYNasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, seeing that the financial adviser to the Sudan Government is now in this Country, he will take the opportunity of reassuring those who have invested their money in previous Sudan loans, guaranteed by the British Government as to interest, that not only is their investment safe and secured by the recent declarations of policy as to the future government and administration of the Sudan, but that the Government and those British interests concerned in the future development of the Sudan have come to such an arrangement for the provision of immediate funds to complete the dame now under construction, that they and other members of the public can be 1916W assured that the financial position of the Sudan is finally secured?
Mr. HARMSWORTHI would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the communiqué issued to the Press after Lord Balfour's meeting with the Empire Cotton Growing Association on 5th July, which I trust will give him the assurance he desires.
§ Major GLYNasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state what was the total actual cost of constructing the port and harbour of Port Sudan; how was this money found, and upon what security; what is the annual upkeep and maintenance expenditure of this port; what is the annual income from export and import dues what is the capacity of the port; and what was the actual number of vessels, and their tonnage, using the port in 1914, 1919, and 1921, respectively?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe total cost of constructing the port and harbour of Port Sudan was approximately £E,915,000. The money was found by the Egyptian Government, whose security doubtless lay in the fact that anything which tended to develop the resources of the Sudan would reduce the necessity for that Government to contribute towards the Sudan. I am causing enquiries to be made as to the figures and statistics required by the hon. and gallant Member in the remainder of his question, and will forward them to him in due course.
§ Major GLYNasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the rates charged by the Sudan State railways are such as to encourage development of cotton and other produce; whether the railways have to pay a proportion of their revenue to meet some of the interest upon loans raised by the Sudan Government in the past for purposes other than railroad development; and whether, in view of the urgent importance of freeing the Sudan railways from all such obligations, so as to devote their surplus revenue over annual expenditure towards reducing rates and making the necessary improvements and extensions to assist in the rapid development of the country, it is proposed to take necessary action?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe Sudan Government railways are managed in the 1917W general interests of the administration and development of the country, and special rates are given, when found desirable, in order to encourage any particular form of development. The answer to the next part of the question is in the negative; the last part does not therefore arise.