asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what scale of royalties the company developing the Mosul oilfields pays to the Government of Iraq; and whether any portion of these royalties accrues to His Majesty's Government or to the cost of upkeep of His Majesty's Forces in Iraq?

I understand that no royalties are at present being paid to the Government of Iraq by the Turkish Petroleum Company, since the stage of commercial development has not yet been reached in the Mosul oilfields. When that stage is reached the company will, under its agreement with the Iraq Government, pay a royalty of 4s. per ton of crude oil won and saved and a royalty of 2d. per 1,000 cubic feet of all natural gases sold. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether further development in the recently proved Mosul oilfield is proceeding; what work has been done since gushing oil wells were struck; whether the existing oil wells have been capped; and when the field is to be brought into production?

The answer to the first and third parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part of the question, I am informed that further wells have been put down to prove the extent of the oilfield and that the work of exploration is proceeding in other areas. I am not in a position to reply to the last part of the question.

Is it a fact that the exploitation of these oilfields has only stopped because of overproduction of oil in other parts of the world?

I am not aware of it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries?