§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the present position of the Dead Sea concessions; and if he proposes to take any action in view of the importance of potash to the agricultural community of Great Britain?
§ Mr. LUNNA preliminary agreement with the concessionaires was signed on 22nd May substantially in the terms of the draft laid before the House by the late Government on 8th May last in Command Paper No. 3326. The other document printed in the Command Paper, namely: the "Heads of Agreement" for a draft concession, has net yet been put into the form of a final concession, but it is binding in its substance on the Governments of Palestine and Trans-Jordan. With regard to the second part of the question, I am not sure what action the hon. and gallant Member suggests that I should take. I would remind him that provision has been made in the Concession to prohibit the operating company from entering into any arrangement for the restriction of output without the previous written consents of the Palestine and Trans-Jordan Governments.