HC Deb 20 July 1939 vol 350 cc715-6
72 and 73. Sir A. Wilson

asked the Home Secretary (1) whether his attention has been called to the increasing frequency of marriages between Stateless and other male aliens, who have been temporarily admitted to this country on compassionate grounds, and British-born girls and women with the object of providing the aliens who contract them with arguments in favour of naturalisation and against their compulsory re-emigration upon which the Government have repeatedly stated it will insist; and whether, in consultation with the Minister of Health, he will consider the advisability of instructing registrars and other persons authorised to solemnise marriages that they should in no case solemnise a marriage between an alien and a British-born subject without previous reference to the Aliens Department of the Home Office;

(2) whether he will consider the advisability of imposing upon aliens admitted to the United Kingdom, as a condition of residence, that they do not enter, or attempt to enter, into contracts of matrimony with British subjects without previous consent of his Department, failure to obtain which will be followed by immediate withdrawal of permission to reside here?

Mr. Peake

There is no ground whatever for the suggestion that if an alien who has been admitted to this country for temporary residence with a view to future emigration marries a British-born woman he thereby establishes a claim to be relieved from any undertaking he may have given to emigrate to some other country. On the contrary, if it appeared that a marriage of convenience had been contracted with such an object, the alien would thereby forfeit any claim he might otherwise have had to sympathetic consideration. If a British-born woman decides to marry a foreigner who is here temporarily, knowing that he will have before long to leave the country, I know of no ground on which she could properly be prevented from doing this, nor could such a marriage or intended marriage be properly regarded as a reason for requiring the alien to leave the country at once without waiting till the plans for his emigration have matured.

Sir A. Wilson

Will the Home Secretary consider the advisability of giving instructions to registrars to advise women to make quite sure as to the status and the possibility of the emigration of the intended husband?

Mr. Peake

I think the: statement I have just made will give the necessary publicity to this matter.

Sir A. Wilson

Will my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary consider sending copies of the answer to all registrars? They do not all read the "Times"

Viscountess Astor

Will the hon. Gentleman also ask the Home Secretary to advise registrars to remind women that an Englishwoman loses her citizenship when she marries an alien, whereas when an alien marries an Englishman she gains British citizenship? Will the Home Secretary do something to correct this terrible situation?

Mr. Hannah

Has not America shown us an excellent example?

Viscountess Astor

Yes, you keep your citizenship there.