§ MR. STUART WORTLEY (Sheffield, Hallam)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to a letter written from the Colonial Office by the 670 hon. Member for North-west Manchester, advocating a reduction in the amount of the naturalisation fee at present charged as a condition upon which an alien resident in this country may obtain the privileges of British citizenship; whether this letter was written with the Home Secretary's approval or knowledge; whether the matter is one within the competence of the Colonial Office to decide; and whether the Government intend to lower the fee.
§ *MR. GLADSTONEYes, Sir, my attention has been drawn to the letter referred to. The subject of it, as my right hon. friend knows, is under the jurisdiction of the Home Office, and it is one on which my hon. friend the Member for North-west Manchester is perfectly entitled to express his private opinion. The question as to whether or not the naturalisation fee should be lowered has not as yet been under my consideration. I may, however, observe that in considering applications for naturalisation I attach more importance to the careful inquiries which are made into the personal qualifications and fitness of the applicant than to the amount of the fee.