§ Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to what extent. during his recent conversations 180W with King Hussein, undertakings were given about financial assistance to Jordan.
§ Mr. ProfumoThe opportunity was taken to review with King Hussein the proposals for financial assistance which my right hon. and learned Friend discussed with Jordanian Ministers during their visit to London last month. Their main features were, as he said in reply to a Question in the House on 15th April, a grant-in-aid of £2 million towards the Jordanian budget for the financial year ending the 31st March, 1960, and an interest-free development loan of £500,000 towards the Desert Road project.
Her Majesty's Government have also agreed to the deferment of the payment of £500,000 due this month under the Treaty Settlement, and of payments which, at the end of 1959, will total £266,666 in respect of past development loans.
Parliamentary approval for the grant-in-aid and the new development loan will be sought in due course by way of supplementary estimate. In the meantime advances will be made from the Civil Contingencies Fund.
The debt deferments will be arranged by means of Notes which will shortly be exchanged with the Jordanian Government and laid before Parliament in the form of White Papers.