HC Deb 04 October 1939 vol 351 cc1925-6
10. Mr. T. Williams

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what assistance has been provided by his Department or the Treasury to those voluntary organisations who are training young persons in this country, with a view to immigration to Palestine, now that all legal immigration has been suspended?

The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Peake)

I have been asked to reply. Apart from the sums which have been made available for the trustees of the Czech Refugee Trust Fund, no financial assistance has been given by His Majesty's Government to the voluntary organisations who are caring for refugees in this country, whether in connection with the training of young persons or with any other activities of the organisations.

Mr. Williams

In view of the restrictions on legal immigration, which are probably unavoidable at the moment, will not the voluntary organisations be hard put to it to maintain these refugee trainees who have been brought over here expressly for that purpose?

Mr. Peake

The hon. Member must bear in mind that these trainees form a very small proportion of the total number of refugees who have come to this country, and that our general policy is to allow refugees, in suitable circumstances, to take employment during the war so as to relieve the burdens on the voluntary organisations.

Miss Rathbone

Will the hon. Gentleman consider whether any interruption in the training of these young trainees, due to a failure of funds on the part of the voluntary organisations, may not be a misfortune to this country, since they would be very useful in agriculture next year; and if their training is interrupted, what is to become of them?

Mr. Peake

There is not, as far as I can see, any suggestion that their training should be interrupted.