69. Sir J. D. REESasked the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether 24,000 Assyrian, 14,000 Armenian, and 5,785 Russian refugees are to be maintained by the British taxpayer until they can be provided with some other host, of whether they can now be. informed that present arrangements must cease upon a given date without reference to their existing circumstances?
Mr. HARMSWORTHEvery endeavour is being made to arrange for the termination of the maintenance of these refugees by His Majesty's Government at the end of the financial year, but I regret that I am not in a position to give my hon. Friend the assurance which he desires at the present stage.
Sir J. D. REESCannot the Government say that on a certain date this shall cease? Why should the British taxpayer be made to exercise a hospitality so fantastically expansive?