§ 28. Captain PETER MACDONALDasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now make any statement as to the position of British subjects in Turkey following the recent prohibition introduced in that country upon the ability of foreigners to enter certain trades; whether he is satisfied that there is no undue hardship to such British subjects; what is the approximate number affected thereby; and what is the present number of Turks in this country?
§ Mr. EDENThe British subjects in question are losing their employment as a result of the application of a Turkish law passed in June, 1932, in virtue of which a large number of occupations in Turkey are reserved to Turkish nationals. In its original form this law, the terms of which did not afford legal ground for protest by His Majesty's Government, provided that foreigners engaged in these reserved occupations should cease to be so employed within a period of one year. His Majesty's Government represented to the Turkish Government the hardship which this would cause, and the Turkish Government subsequently postponed the complete application of the law for two 2265 years. Its effects are, therefore, only now beginning to be felt. Some 400 members of the British communities in Turkey are affected by the law. I fear that for these and their dependents the loss of employment, especially at the present time, is inevitably causing serious hardship. As regards the last part of the question, I am informed that the number of persons registered with the police in the United Kingdom as of Turkish nationality is 500 males and 374 females.
§ Captain MACDONALDWill the right hon. Gentleman undertake to apply the same restrictions to Turkish residents in this country as are meted out to British subjects in Turkey?
§ Mr. EDENI hardly think that arises. There are a large number of British residents in Turkey besides those affected by the law to which my hon. Friend refers.