asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the full cotton crop in the Sudan is unlikely to be harvested unless there is a rapid improvement in the labour situation; and whether any arrangements can be made to make the necessary labour available from some of the British colonial territories in Africa.

No request for assistance has been received from the Sudan Government, and from inquiries which I have had made it seems unlikely that such assistance will be necessary. There is at present a shortage of labour in the three East African Territories and the supply of labour from them would present grave social and other difficulties. I regret that I cannot, therefore, hold out any hope that labour could be supplied from these or other British Colonial Territory in Africa should a request for assistance be received.