§ Mr. Mayhewasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much sterling has been remitted to Israel since May, 1967 under the head of charitable funds; and to what other countries comparable sums have been remitted under the same head during the same period.
§ Mr. Harold LeverAbout £16 million in just over two years. The rate is now about £4 million a year. Separate608W records of charitable remittances to other countries are not maintained.
§ Mr. Mayhewasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what steps he took to fulfil the undertaking given in a letter dated 18th July, 1967, from the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East, that the Treasury would seek to prevent the possible misapplication of sterling remitted to Israel under the head of charitable funds;
(2) what inquiries he made under the Exchange Control Act following the letter of 1st May, 1969, to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury from the hon. Member for Woolwich, East, into the methods by which sterling remitted to Israel under the head of charitable funds had been applied to the establishment of fortified military settlements in occupied Arab territories; and with what results.
§ Mr. Harold LeverThe amounts and purposes of individual remittances and their running total have been regularly examined. I am not aware of any evidence of misapplication of the funds involved. If my hon. Friend has any evidence, I will see what can be done to make inquiries.