Sir J. D. REESasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the familiar contention that India is the poorest and most highly taxed country in the world, he will cause to be prepared a statement showing the amount of taxation, and the amount of unproductive debt per head of the population of India, compared with corresponding figures for other countries, not among the most wealthy in the world?
§ Earl WINTERTONI will convey my hon. Friend's suggestion to the Government of India, but deductions from comparative figures of the kind suggested are apt to be misleading. I do not know how far Governments of other countries in the category referred to publish figures. Statistics for India are already available. Certain figures for the Crown Colonies were given in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford (Mr. Wise) on the 8th March.