§ 29. Mr. LOUIS SMITHasked the Secretary of State of Dominion Affairs whether any Dominions are ready to resume adult emigration; if so, on what lines; and how many of such Dominions are taking boys for training purposes?
Mr. M. MacDONALDI assume that my hon. Friend has in mind assisted migration under the Empire Settlement Act. No Dominion Government has yet informed me of its readiness to resume co-operation in any scheme of assisted migration for adults. In regard to the second part of the question, apart from children of both sexes going to Fair-bridge Farm Schools in Western Australia and British Columbia and to Barnardo's Farm School in New South Wales, there is at present no movement of boys to the Dominions for training purposes.
§ Mr. SMITHWill these matters be most carefully explored previous to the meeting of the Imperial Conference next summer?
Mr. MacDONALDThe question is under consideration now, not only in this country, but, as the hon. Member may have seen from Press reports, in the Commonwealth of Australia as well.
§ Mr. ANNESLEY SOMERVILLECan my right hon. Friend say whether the Big Brother scheme is in being, and whether Australia is preparing to receive boys under that scheme?
Mr. MacDONALDThe Big Brother movement is still in being so far as the after-care of boys already in Australia is concerned, but at present no new boys are going out under that scheme. With regard to Australian intentions for the future, that is a matter, of course, for the Australian Government themselves.
§ Mr. LUNNHow many boys during the last two or three years have gone out under the Fairbridge Farm Schools and other schemes?
§ 30. Mr. L. SMITHasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the amount spent under the Empire Settlement Act since it came into force, giving, in each case, the overseas Dominion where such money has been spent and the number of people who were settled under the provisions of the Act?
Mr. MacDONALDAs the answer contains tables of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. A. SOMERVILLEHas my right hon. Friend considered the possibility of reviving the £10 scheme for Canada?
§ Following is the answer:
§ The total net expenditure by the United Kingdom Government under the Empire Settlement Act to 31st March, 1936, is £6,099,046, and the total number of migrants assisted is 405,230.
§ The following table shows the approximate apportionment to each Dominion and includes assistance to the cost of passages in each case.
215§ 31. Mr. L. SMITHasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he possesses any records to show the number of people settled under the Empire Settlement Act, 1922, who have come home in recent years during the economic slump; and what is the net residue of such emigrants who have remained in the Dominions to which they went?
Mr. MacDONALDI have no records of the number of people assisted under the Empire Settlement Act who have Returned to this country.
§ Mr. LUNNCan the right hon. Gentleman give the numbers of boys returning from any Dominion more than are going out?
Mr. MacDONALDThis is a question with regard to people returning who have been assisted emigrants. If the hon. Member puts down a question with regard to general figures, I shall be happy to answer it.