HC Deb 12 May 1908 vol 188 cc901-3
MR. MITCHELL-THOMSON (Lanarkshire, N.W.)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the members of the immigration boards are appointed permanently to their office or are removable at the Secretary of State's pleasure; in the latter case, whether any have been removed, or if it is his intention to remove present members in order to make room for such future members as he may appoint, in accordance with his reply to the London Committee of Deputies of the British Jews; what is the present proportion of Jews and non-Jews on the panel of the immigration boards at London and Grimsby; what order is followed in summoning members of the panel to form the acting board; and whether he contemplates permitting such a board

the first page of the March issue of the Labour Gazette, what was the number returned as out of work in each of the trades there mentioned.

(Answered by Mr. Churchill.) The following table gives the information asked for by the hon. Member—

at any time to contain a majority of Jewish members.

(Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) The appointment of members of immigration boards stands for as long as the persons appointed are willing and able to afford their services in that capacity. Any members whom I may appoint on suggestions coming from the Committee of Deputies of the British Jews, or from any other source, will be in addition to existing members. Six of the twenty-six members on the list for London are Jews; there are no Jews on the list for Grimsby. For the summoning and composition of the boards I may refer the hon. Member to No. 15 of the rules made under the Act, which appears to me to deal properly and adequately with the point. It provides that the clerk shall, so far as practicable, summon every member of the list in turn, provided that where possible a magistrate shall always be a member of the board. As regards the last part of the Question, the contingency suggested might possibly arise at a particular sitting. I see no need for altering the rules in this connection.