asked the Secretary of State for War what expenditure has already been incurred on the base at Fayid; what total expenditure thereon is contemplated; when the base will be completed; and what acreage it will cover when completed.

G.H.Q. M.E.L.F. moved to Fayid on the evacuation of Cairo and together with administrative units directly connected with G.H.Q., are the only Army personnel located there. The total cash expenditure incurred on the provision of accommodation at Fayid is less than £¼ million and the work is now virtually complete. I have no information as to the actual area of desert which is covered.

Was not the whole of this camp, in fact, built by German slave labour, and would not the whole of the cost be a great deal greater had the full rate for the job been charged, including the work of many hundreds of thousands of the men there?

With the statement of fact by my hon. Friend I am in agreement, but on his opinion I am saying nothing.