§ 17. Mr. HANNONasked the Home Secretary whether he will furnish a Return of the number of aliens, male and female, who have applied for naturalisation in this country during the years 1923, 1924, and 1925; the number of such applications which have been granted; and whether, in granting such applications, the Home Office has regard to the dislocation of British workpeople by alien naturalisation?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSIn the years mentioned the numbers of applications received were 1,101, 1,629 and 1,819, respectively, and the numbers of certificates granted were 1,126, 935 and 1,074, respectively, but I would point out that at the end of 1922 there were many hundreds of applications awaiting consideration. I regret that I cannot give the number of men and women separately, but I would refer my hon. Friend to the published returns which give the names of persons naturalised. Certificates of naturalisation are only given after the fullest inquiries to aliens who 292 have qualified by long residence here, so that I do not see how the last part of the question can arise.