MUSICIANS.

HC Deb 09 July 1931 vol 254 cc2235-6

1. Mr. CHARLES WILLIAMS

asked the Minister of Labour in what circumstances are foreign dance bands given permits to enter this country?

10. Mr. HAYCOCK

asked the Minister of Labour how many permits to American bands and musicians have been issued

Year.	Number of Bands.	Number of Musicians in Bands.	Individual Musicians not included in Col. 3.	Total of Cols. 3 and 4.
1.	2.	3.	4.	5.
1926	8	87	3	90
1927	3	19	18	37
1928	1	15	3	18
1929	12	126	1	127
1930	9	103	2	105
1931 (first six months)	3	43	2	45
	36	393	29	422

by the Ministry of Labour during the last five years?

The MINISTER of LABOUR (Miss Bondfield)

Permits are occasionally issued to foreign dance bands to appear as part of a music hall or cabaret programme, but only if they are of unusual merit or possess some special feature which cannot easily be reproduced in this country. Permits are not issued save in very exceptional circumstances to such bands to come to this country to play for dancing at restaurants. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the permits issued to American bands and musicians since 1926.

Mr. WILLIAMS

In the table which is to be circulated, will the Minister say whether there have been any foreign bands admitted apart from American bands?

Miss BONDFIELD

Perhaps the hon. Member will give me notice of that question. The table has been made up.

Mr. DAY

Can my right hon. Friend say whether the custom of the Ministry still prevails to see that the same number of British musicians are employed in cases where those permits are granted, and that British musicians are not displaced.

Miss BONDFIELD

Yes.

Lieut. - Colonel Sir FREDERICK HALL

Will the right hon. Lady communicate with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to see that the people who are over here are treated in the same way as our people in America, and that they are not allowed to leave before they have satisfied the authorities about the payment of their Income Tax?

Following is the table: