§ 40. Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what instructions have been issued to the High Commissioner in Palestine regarding the methods to be adopted for preventing illegal immigration into Palestine and 412 whether the High Commissioner is empowered to order ships carrying refugees to leave Palestinian waters without reference to the state of affairs prevailing on board or the fact that no alternative destination may be available for the ship?
Mr. M. MacDonaldPrecise instructions have not been issued to the High Commissioner on this subject. He has, however, with my approval, taken certain additional powers by Ordinance for dealing with the problem of illegal immigration, and I am placing a copy of the Ordinance in question in the Library of the House. With regard to the second part of the question, the High Commissioner no doubt takes into consideration the state of affairs prevailing on board these ships, and he informed me in April that they would be provisioned, where necessary, by the Palestine Government.
§ Mr. CrossleyCan my right hon. Friend give an assurance to the House that any illegal immigrants who find their way into the country will be counted against the legal quota of immigrants?