§ Mr. LORIMERasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state what payment is made annually by the Zionists to meet the expenses of Zionist, immigration into Palestine; has this amount up to date been fully met; and, if not, from what source will the necessary money be obtained?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI have no information as to the details of the expenditure of the Zionist organisation beyond what is known to the general public. As far as the Government of Palestine is concerned, the fees for the registration of immigrants and other fees in connection with visas, laissez passers, passports, etc., exceeded in 1922–23 by more than £1,000 the total expenditure of the Immigration and Travel Department.
§ Lord APSLEYasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Jewish immigrants are being admitted every month into Palestine; how many of the Haluzim already in the country are unemployed how many of them are orthodox Jews by religion; and is he aware that a great number of these so-called Jewish colonists profess no religion whatever?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe monthly average of Jewish immigrants entering Palestine in 1922 was 654. The number for January, 1923, was 872. The total number of unemployed in Palestine during February, 1923, was 2,500. The returns do not indicate how many of the unemployed were Jewish immigrants, but the High Commissioner will be asked whether this information can be given in future. I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by classifying unemployed Jewish immigrants as orthodox or otherwise. I am not aware of the statement made in the last part of this question, but I hardly think any Jew would select 1319W Palestine as a country to which to migrate unless he had some religious convictions although he may not be strictly orthodox.