§ 24. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Beisan land settlement is expected to place any land now unused or undesired at the disposal of the Jewish immigrants for development; and, if not, wilt he state the reason?
§ Mr. AMERYAs the right hon. and gallant Gentleman is no doubt aware, the Beisan settlement is in execution of an agreement made in 1921 with existing Arab cultivators in the Beisan jiftlik. The settlement is still proceeding and I am not at present in a position to say whether any land in that part of the jiftlik which lies in Palestine will, on the completion of the settlement, be found to be surplus to the requirements of the existing cultivators as defined in the 1921 Agreement.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODAm I not right in thinking that when this agreement was signed it was thought there would be a much larger area of unissued and 1258 undeveloped land, and that it is only as the settlement has grown up that that hope has vanished? Has it vanished from the right hon. Gentleman's mind?