§ 40. Captain P. MACDONALDasked the Home Secretary how many persons of foreign nationality have been admitted into Great Britain since 1st January, 1930, for the purpose of taking up residence in this country; and what principal nationalities such persons claim?
§ Mr. SHORTI would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the statistics published quarterly and yearly. The latest return (Cmd. Paper 3576 II) shows that during the nine months ended the 30th September, 1930, 385,112 alien passengers landed in the United King- 597 dom. I cannot say how many intended to take up residence here, but experience shows that a great proportion of the persons were here for visits or other temporary reasons, and I may perhaps draw attention to the footnotes to Table I of the return mentioned, and to Table II of the Annual Return.
§ Captain MACDONALDDo I understand that no record is kept of what these people come over here for and whether they are remaining or getting other occupations?
§ Mr. SHORTI think not, but, if the hon. and gallant Gentleman will read the papers that I am sending him, and then requires further information, I shall be glad to give it.
§ 41. Captain MACDONALDasked the Home Secretary whether steps are taken by his Department to see that foreign persons admitted to this country, ostensibly to attend schools and colleges, do not, in fact, enter any gainful occupations in Great Britain?
§ Mr. SHORTThe Home Office is regularly engaged in preventing evasion of the law which requires that an alien shall not enter this country for employment except in pursuance of a permit issued by the Minister of Labour, and in proper cases my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary requires an alien guilty of such evasion to leave the country.
Sir F. HALLWill the hon. Gentleman be kind enough to communicate with the Ministry of Labour and draw their attention to the fact that they are allowing an enormous number of foreign girls to come into this country and get work in theatres, to the detriment of our own working class?
§ Captain MACDONALDCan the hon. Gentleman say if there have been any deportations recently?
§ 52. Sir GEORGE PENNYasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the number of unemployed, he will take steps to prevent Frenchmen coming over to this country to sell onions?
§ Sir G. PENNYWill the hon. Member approach the Minister of Agriculture to give his sympathetic consideration to this matter, in the same way as he is doing in regard to fruit?
§ Mr. LEIF JONESDoes the hon. Gentleman realise that these picturesque immigrants are very popular in the countryside, and will help to popularise the French nation among our people?