Mr. A. T. DAVIESasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether approximately £5,500,000 is due to the Treasury from Nigeria and that Nigeria is now a paying and prosperous country and of good credit; and, seeing that its present position has been built up largely on loans advanced by the Treasury and that interest has not been charged on such loans, will he see that this national asset and Nigerian debt is at once collected?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am afraid that my hon. Friend is misinformed. The Grants-in-Aid voted by this House towards the cost of the administration of Northern Nigeria up to 1914 and of Nigeria from 1914 to 1918 were free grants and not loans; and neither the capital sums nor interest upon them can be claimed from the Nigerian Government.