§ 49. Mr. DAVID ADAMSasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that 40 Jews were employed on public works at the end of 1931 out of a total of 280 persons thus employed in Jerusalem where the Jews constitute nearly 60 per cent. of the population, and that at the same date 35 Jews out of a total of 480 workpeople were employed in the northern district; and whether he will take steps to see that the undertaking made in the Prime Minister's letters to Dr. Weizmann, of 13th February, 1931, is implemented?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI have seen the memorandum by the Jewish Agency which contains the statistics quoted by the hon. Member. It is clear from the memorandum that the figures for Jerusalem refer to public works carried out by the Jerusalem municipality. The annual report on the Administration of Palestine for 1931 shows that in that year the permament staff of the public works branch of the Jerusalem municipality consisted of 194 persons, of whom 83 were Jews, and that the amount of work done during 1931 in terms of men-days was 10,067, of which 2,935, or approximately 32 per cent., were allotted to Jews. I have no official figures regarding the northern district. Consultations between the Government of Palestine and the executive of the Jewish Agency as to the Jewish contribution to public revenue have made progress, and a scheme for determining the Jewish share of employment on public works is now engaging the attention of the Government.