HC Deb 04 March 1936 vol 309 cc1393-4
4. Mr. KEELING

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can assure subscribers to the Archbishop of Canterbury's fund for transferring Assyrians from Iraq to Syria, that any sum raised by the appeal will actually effect the settlement of a certain number of Assyrians, even though the full amount asked for be not obtained?

Viscount CRANBORNE

The matter is in the hands of a committee of the Council of the League of Nations and not of His Majesty's Government. But I can assure the hon. Member that the greater the sum which can be raised, the more Assyrians will it be possible to settle.

5. Lieut. - Commander FLETCHER

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give particulars as to the settlement of Assyrian refugees so far achieved; how many have been settled and at what total cost; and whether any estimate has been made of the number which will still remain to be settled

Viscount CRANBORNE

Over 6,000 Assyrians from Iraq have been provisionally settled on the Upper Khabur river in Syria pending their eventual removal to the proposed permanent settlement in the Ghab area. In this latter area no settlement has yet been carried out but preliminary work is now in progress. I have no information as to the total cost to date of the settlement effected on the Upper Khabur river, but the actual cost up to 30th June, 1935, was, I understand, 2,191,930 French francs and the estimated cost from 1st July to 31st December, 1935, 2,142,000 French francs, giving a total, up to the end of 1935, of 4,333,950 French francs, or approximately £57,786. As regards the last part of the question, the estimates prepared for the League Assembly in September last by the Council Committee which is dealing with this matter were based on the assumption that, in addition to those Assyrians now on the Upper Khabur, approximately 15,000 Assyrians from Iraq would wish to take advantage of the proposed scheme for permanent settlement in the Ghab area.