asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any assurances have been given by the Government of the Lebanon that the ex-Mufti of Jerusalem will be forbidden to take part in any political activities during the period of his stay on Lebanese soil, similar to those given in respect of his stay in Egypt by the Egyptian Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any representations have been made to the Egyptian Government regarding the departure of the Ex-Mufti of Jerusalem from that country to Beirut, to take part in the political activities of the Arab League.

When the Mufti of Jerusalem arrived in Egypt in 1946, His Majesty's Representative inquired, in the course of his representations, whether the Egyptian Government would prevent him from leaving the country, but the Egyptian Government replied that they could not undertake to do this. In the circumstances, no useful purpose would be served by further representations to the Egyptian Government on this point, and none have been made. When the Mufti arrived in Beirut from Egypt on 8th October, His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires informed the Lebanese Government that in view of the repeated representations made on this subject, the Mufti's arrival would undoubtedly make a most unfavourable impression on His Majesty's Government. He later informed the Lebanese Government, on instructions, that His Majesty's Government counted on them to restrain the Mufti from taking any action which would cause added difficulty for the British Administration in Palestine.

Is my hon. Friend going to leave it at that? In view of the abused position in Egypt, will he not take further steps with the Lebanon as regards this dangerous man?

We have made our views clear to the Lebanese Government, and they have agreed to do what we have asked—to restrain the Mufti from taking embarrassing action against us.

Is my hon. Friend not in agreement that the action taken up with the Egyptian Government in regard to this individual was very belated? Is he aware that I put down a Question when he was on French soil and he could then have been taken into custody and treated as an ordinary enemy alien?

I cannot remember that, but I think we took quite prompt action with the Egyptian Government, although we were unable to get the guarantee that they would undertake not to allow him to leave Egypt.

Is my hon. Friend aware that when I asked my previous Question regarding this man, I was told that he could not be traced, although I stated that my information was that he was on French soil?

That is another question.