§ 20. Colonel Wedgwoodasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the report to Geneva by the Palestine Administration dealing with the disturbances was communicated to the Colonial Office first; and will he place a copy in the Library?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreNo separate report on the disturbances by the Palestine Administration has been made to the League of Nations. The usual annual report on the administration of Palestine and Transjordan for the year 1936, which includes some factual account of die disturbances which took place in that year, has been communicated to the Council of the League through the usual channel and was published on 21st June. The annual report does not attempt to deal with either ca uses or policy, which are dealt with in the report of the Royal Commission. A copy of the annual report will be placed in the Library, and the report of the Royal Commission will be available to hon. Members in the Vote Office at 8 p.m. to-day.
§ Colonel WedgwoodThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered my question as to whether this report was passed by the Colonial Office here before it was published. Will he tell me that?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreYes. The Palestine Government always send it to the Colonial Office for transmission to the League, and we always pass it and send it on.
§ Colonel WedgwoodAre we to understand that this report, which has given so much offence to the Jews in Palestine, is in the nature of an apologia or a defence of his conduct by the High Commissioner?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreCertainly not. There is no question of any defence. The whole of the questions about the disturbances and their causes and everything connected with them are dealt with in the Peel Report. This is a purely objective statement of facts which has been submitted by the Palestine Government purely as a record. I do not think it has any significance as compared with the report of the Royal Commission.
§ Colonel WedgwoodHas the right hon. Gentleman read it?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreNo, I have not read it personally.
Captain CazaletCan my right hon. Friend say how much the report of the Royal Commission will cost, and will he see that an edition at a reasonable rate will be issued?
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is another question
§ Mr. de RothschildWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the facts as stated in this report to the League of Nations were passed and certified as correct by the Colonial Office, or as believed to be correct?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreBelieved to be correct.