40. Lieut.-Colonel J. WARDasked the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of the Government to relax the stringency with which the Aliens Act, 1919, has hitherto been administered?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Rhys Davies)I have been asked to reply. I think the hon. and gallant Member has in mind not the Act of 1919 but the Aliens Order, 1920, which contains the code of provisions for controlling aliens. Assuming that to be so, my answer is, that my right hon. Friend and myself are watching very closely the administration of this law with a view to preventing more hardship to individual foreigners that is unfortunately inevitable under the Regulations required in the public interests of our own country and our own people.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANWill the Prime Minister bear in mind the hardships involved on British workmen if the stringency of the Act be not maintained?
§ Mr. DAVIESMy answer was to that effect.