42. Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what number of immigrant dependants he estimates will arrive in the United Kingdom on the basis of 5,000 Commonwealth voucher holders being admitted in 1969.
§ Mr. CallaghanPast experience—which may not be conclusive—suggests that for every Commonwealth voucher holder three or four dependants may, on average, come to the United Kingdom, their arrival being spread over the eight to ten years following that of the voucher holder.
Mr. Gresham CookeIf about 20,000 immigrant dependants are expected following the 5,000 expected next year, will the right hon. Gentleman tell the Treasury and the Ministry of Housing that they must build the equivalent of a reasonably-sized town in this country every year to look after these immigrants who are coming in?
§ Mr. CallaghanI have no doubt that the appropriate Ministries will take the 571 matter into account. It would be necessary also to ensure that the firms which ask for these workers have sufficient labour, since most of the people who come here now come at the direct request of a firm which, presumably, needs their labour.
§ Mr. BrooksDoes my right hon. Friend agree that, in order that we may all know what we are talking about when we discuss the future and attempt to prophesy numbers, there is a case for attempting to evaluate rather more scientifically what the true position is?
§ Mr. CallaghanI am able to give the information which I have given to the House today because three surveys of passenger traffic arriving were carried out during separate periods of 14 days in May, August and November this year. I shall continue to assemble such facts as I can.
43. Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to relate the date of admission of immigrant dependants to the date of entry of the voucher holder.
§ Mr. CallaghanI am not clear what the hon. Member has in mind, but I have no plans to limit the entry of dependants to those accompanying a voucher holder.
Mr. Gresham CookeAs about 50,000 dependants are coming in at the present rate, would it not make a more orderly arrangement for the future if those immigrant voucher holders who have been here several years could now have priority by date over the ones who have just arrived? Would not that make it possible for the country to arrange a more orderly immigration programme and building programme for the future?
§ Mr. CallaghanIf that is a device for preventing families from accompanying voucher holders who arrive now, it would interfere with the statutory entitlement of dependants, which does not accord with the policy of the hon. Gentleman's party or that of the Government.
§ Mr. William PriceDoes the Home Secretary appreciate that many people relate 50,000 dependants coming in this year to the figure of 5,000 voucher holders and arrive at a ratio of 10 to 572 one? What can my right hon. Friend do to balance this completely misleading picture?
§ Mr. CallaghanAnswer the Questions which are put down, as I have today. I am grateful to have these Questions put to me, since they enable me to put the matter in proportion and point out that there may be three or four dependants arriving per voucher holder over a period of eight to 10 years.
§ Mr. HoggI do not want to engage in argument on this point across the Floor of the House now. Would the right hon. Gentleman be kind enough to re-examine his reply that the policy of the Opposition party is inconsistent with the statutory obligations, and let me know the results of his investigation?
§ Mr. CallaghanNo, Sir. I am quite clear what the official policy of the party opposite is. I am not sure about the unofficial policies advanced by several hon. Gentlemen.