§ 19. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the present position of assistance to Arab refugees; how many have been resettled; and how many await resettlement.
29. Mr. Philips Priceasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how much money has been spent to date by the United Nations organisation for the relief and settlement of Arab refugees from Palestine; how much of this has been spent on settling those refugees on the land; how many have been so settled; and what are the principal areas of settlement.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Anthony Nutting)Since January, 1952, when the United Nations authorised a $250 million three-year programme for Arab refugees, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency has negotiated an $11 million programme for the resettlement of some 25,000 refugees in Jordan. Negotiations are also taking place with the Syrian Government.
Meanwhile, the Agency has resettled or provided work for 1,449 refugees, 219 of whom are working on the land in Jordan (others are in the Lebanon, Syria, Libya and Gaza). In addition, the Israel Government has resettled 12,000 and some 100,000 have settled themselves in Jordan. Over 850,000 still await resettlement.
The total expenditure by the Agency on relief and resettlement up to March, 1952, has been $68 million, of which $132,000 have been spent on agricultural resettlement.
§ Mr. SorensenCan the hon. Gentleman say how long it will be before this tragic problem is resolved; how long it will be before these 180,000 refugees are resettled?
§ Mr. NuttingI must correct the hon. Gentleman; the number still to be resettled is 850,000. I cannot, alas, say when this problem will be resolved, but I can at least say that the United Nations have now a considerable amount of funds at their disposal, and I am able to assure the hon. Gentleman that a real attack is now being made on the problem with the funds at the disposal of the United Nations.
Mr. PriceHas any difficulty been found in the refugees themselves not wanting to find new places of settlement and hoping that they will be able to go back to their original homes?
§ Mr. NuttingThere is that problem, but there are other problems connected with the non-fertility of many of the areas in which they are at present settled.
§ Sir R. GlynCan my hon. Friend say whether the United Nations irrigation scheme with a view to settlement about the Euphrates, which was previously agreed to, is being proceeded with?
§ Mr. NuttingI cannot give my hon. Friend an answer to that question offhand, but I can say that water surveys are being undertaken and that considerable attempts are being made to solve these problems, which I have already described as of non-fertility.