HC Deb 09 June 1891 vol 354 cc21-2
MR. JENNINGS (Stockport)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, considering the great public interest taken in the continued and increasing immigration of destitute aliens, which is causing great injury to many sections of the working classes of this country, the Government will permit the discussion on the subject, which would be raised by the Notice of Motion now down on the Order Book for 23rd June; and whether any further information has been received as to the movement of destitute Russians from Moscow and St. Petersburg towards this country?

*MR. BRUNNER (Cheshire, Northwich)

May I ask whether the question does not contain argumentative matter, and whether it will be in order to answer it.

MR. SPEAKER

ruled that the question might be answered.

*THE FIRST LORD OF THETREASURY (Mr. W. H. SMITH,) Strand, Westminster

My hon. Friend asks me whether, in view of the great interest taken in this question—an interest which I believe is largely due to the report that there was a scheme for bringing 60,000 destitute persons to this country—my hon. Friend asks whether I can give facilities for the discussion of the Motion now down on the Order Book for June 23. I think my hon. Friend will see that in the present state of Public Business it is impossible for me to give an undertaking that the Motion will be discussed. But I am glad to give him such information about this subject as the Government have received in reply to the questions which we have addressed to our Ambassador at St. Petersburg and to the Consuls in various parts of Russia. The latest information, dated June 4 from Riga, and June 7 from St. Petersburg and Odessa, is to the effect that there is no foundation for the report of an extraordinary movement of destitute Jews to this country. The statements made in the Press on the subject are reported from Riga to be without foundation. The Consuls have issued warnings that there is no demand here for such labour.

MR. JENNINGS

Will the right hon. Gentleman cause inquiries to be made on the route from Charlottenburg to Hamburg and Bremen?

*MR. W. H. SMITH

I think we have taken every care to obtain information, and I believe that the Foreign Office has instructed its agents to forward all the information that can possibly be obtained on this subject.