§ Mr. LEACHasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the publication of the balance sheet of the Suez Canal Company announcing increased dividends; and whether he is now in a position to say what is the increase in the amount of dues paid or payable by the Italian Government since preparations for the Abyssinian campaign began?
§ Viscount CRANBORNEI have only seen an announcement that increased dividends are to be paid. From a rough estimate based on the traffic figures published by the company, it appears that in 1934 Italian shipping paid £700,000 in dues, in 1935 £2,000,000, and in the first quarter of 1933 £700,000. The hon. Member will be able to find the statistics on which these estimates are based in the Annual Reports of the Company for 1934 and 1935 and in the periodical Bulletins so far published by the company this year.