§ 70. Mr. T. Williamsasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the statement in the annual report of the Department of Migration at Jerusalem that the standard of living of 1244 the average inhabitant of Palestine, including Arabs, had at least not deteriorated he will make a statement showing whether or not the economic position of the Arab and Jewish population has improved during the period of Jewish immigration under the mandate?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreThe statement in the annual report of the Department of Migration for 1936, to which the hon. Members refers, is extensively qualified in the succeeding sentences, and the final conclusion of the Commissioner for Migration is that the question is open, and must remain open until the means are provided for conducting detailed research into the variation of standard of living and real income in Palestine. In the circumstances I should not wish to make any definite statement on the matter at present.