§ 28. Lieut.-Colonel RUGGLES-BRISEasked the Secretary of State for the Homo Department if he will state, in regard to the figures given in Command Paper 3334–3, whether any of the 3,391 aliens admitted in connection with Ministry of Labour permits are of such occupations as would be calculated to bring them into competition with British workmen in the labour market; and the general character, as regards status and occupation, of the 2,324 aliens designated as other passengers?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Clynes)The Ministry of Labour permits in which the 3,391 aliens were admitted during 2387 October-December, 1920, may have been issued at any time during August-December. It would not be possible, therefore, to state the occupations in respect of which these permits were issued, without the very considerable labour of examining the particulars of each individual concerned. I understand, however, that before a permit is issued by the Ministry of Labour, that Department has to be satisfied that the employer has taken all possible steps to obtain suitable labour in this country, and the employer is required to give an undertaking that no labour will be displaced by the engagement of the alien. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer to the analysis of the corresponding figures for the whole of 1928 which appears on page 5 of the Annual Publication, Cmd. 3332, entitled "Statistics in regard to Alien Passengers." I would ask the hon. and gallant Member to await a similar analysis of the figures for the year 1929.
§ Mr. DAYIs it not a fact that the majority of these people are musicians and artists who have been engaged?
§ Mr. CLYNESI believe that that is so.