§ 17. Mr. FREEMANasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that certain Arabs and Somalis who have been residing in Cardiff have been refused registration under the Coloured Seamen's Order by the county police at Barry; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Clynes)I am informed that it is not the case that registration under the Special Restrictions (Coloured Alien Seamen) Order has been refused by the police at Barry. The position is that under a scheme, recently organised by the Shipping Federation, employment at Barry is found only for those seamen who are registered on the Federation's rota at that port, and a similar system is followed at Cardiff. If a seaman on the Cardiff rota came to reside at Barry, the local police would register him under the Coloured Seamen Order, but under the Federation's scheme he would still only be eligible for employment at Cardiff, and in these circumstances the seamen concerned have, as a rule, decided to remain resident in Cardiff. I have no responsibility in regard to the Federation's scheme, but I shall be glad to discuss with my hon. Friend a. report which I have received on the matter.