§ 29. Sir A. FELLasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if Palestine is now open for the visits of travellers; if British subjects can acquire land and do business there; if the Customs duties have been settled; and if particulars of them are available for merchants?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Cecil Harmsworth)Palestine is not yet open to the tourist, but every effort is made, consistently with shipping difficulties, to enable persons having definite business to go there. The transfer of land is at present prohibited, and no concessions or survey permits of a commercial character are granted, but, so far as I am aware, there are no restrictions on general business other than those necessitated by military considerations. 1 understand that the former Turkish Customs tariff, calculated on an ad valorem basis, is in force.
§ Sir A. FELLHaving regard to the statement that land cannot be acquired by British subjects, may I ask if other people are allowed to acquire it Also, why cannot Englishmen take over businesses which they have bought?
§ Mr. HARMSWORTHMy information is that the transfer of land is, in any case, prohibited. If the hon. Member has any particular case in mind and will bring it to the Foreign Office, we shall be happy to consider it.