§ 10. Sir FRANK SANDERSONasked the Minister of Labour whether be is aware that it has been the practice with certain foreign firms who have established factories in this country to attempt to evade the law in regard to the employment of aliens by employing foreign persons for a period of two months or such maximum period as is permissible, then sending them back to their own country and replacing them by other aliens in continuous relays, thereby keeping British 1949 workpeople unemployed in this country; and whether, in view of the large and increasing number of foreign firms opening up factories in this country, he will take such steps as are necessary to see that all foreign workpeople are excluded except in those cases where experts are acquired temporarily for special processes in order to tram British employés for the work?
11. Mr. HUTCHISONasked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that during the past year the number of people entering this country from overseas was greater than the number who left it for abroad, he will consider the advisability of instituting more rigorous conditions for those who come to this country to follow employment?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONPermits for foreigners to enter this country to take up employment are not issued unless my Department is satisfied that no person already resident in this country is available for the work in question. I have no evidence of attempts to evade the law by the introduction of foreigners for short periods, nor do I see how such attempts could be successful without actual breach of the law; but I should be glad to have particulars of any instances which my hon. Friend has in mind. The number of permits issued in 1931 was approximately the same as in 1930, and could not have affected appreciably the balance of migration.