MR. J. LOWTHER (Thanet, Kent)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the alleged inaccuracy of the Returns issued by his Department with reference to the Immigration of Aliens into the United Kingdom; and whether it is the case that the collection of such Returns is frequently delegated to cabin boys or other subordinate officers over whose proceedings no effectual supervision is exercised?
§ MR. MUNDELLANo instance of inaccuracy has been brought to the knowledge of the Board of Trade, and they are satisfied that the Returns as published are trustworthy. The Alien Lists are supplied, under penalties, by the masters of ships arriving from Continental ports; they are amply checked by officers of the Customs Department; the Statistical Department of the Board of Trade carefully scrutinises them, and the results agree with information obtained from totally different sources. I would refer the hon. Member for his further satisfaction to the Annual Reports on Emigration and Immigration issued by the Board of Trade.