HC Deb 28 February 1946 vol 419 cc2085-7
19. Mrs. Ayrton Gould

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now able to make a further statement on the naturalisation of aliens; if he will give any information about the position of aliens who applied for naturalisation before war broke out; and if he will give an assurance that those whose credentials are satisfactory will be naturalised at an early date.

Mr. Ede

Yes, Sir. Schemes have now been worked out for dealing as rapidly as possible with those who have special claims to naturalisation on the grounds set out in my previous statement. As the statement about these Schemes is necessarily long and detailed, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the Statement:

Work is already in progress on applications which were submitted before 20th November, 1940, and arrangements have now been made for dealing with claims for priority from foreigners possessing the statutory qualifications who were enlisted in the United Kingdom and are serving or have during the war served in His Majesty's Forces, from foreigners who have served during the war in British merchant ships, and from those who as civilians have claims to priority on the ground ox their contribution to the war effort or to the economic welfare of the country.

Those who are still serving in His Majesty's Forces will be able to obtain forms and instructions through Service channels, and will submit their applications through their Commanding Officers, who will forward them with their comments through the appropriate Service Department to the Home Office. Those who have been released from His Majesty's Forces will send their applications to a Board comprising representatives of the Service Departments, which my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for War, has agreed to set up for the purpose of assisting these applicants and accelerating the consideration of their claim. This Board will examine the Service records, interview applicants, and forward the applications, with the Board's comments, to the Home Office.

Foreigners who have served in British merchant ships during the war and possess the statutory qualifications for naturalisation will be able to apply to the Home Office on a special form, which will be made available at Mercantile Marine offices.

As regards persons who claim priority on the score of civilian service, those who are in business or professional occupations on their own account will make their applications on a special form direct to the Home Office, and the Home Office will obtain any necessary information or advice from any Government Department which has special knowledge of the applicant's work. For those who are in employment, it has been arranged, in order to accelerate the preliminary examination of claims that the applications shall be submitted in the first instance to the Secretaries of the Regional Boards for industry who before sending them to the Home Office, will get information and advice from the Regional representative of the Department or Departments concerned with the industry in which the applicant is or has been employed.

Forms of application for persons who have been released from His Majesty's Forces and for persons who claim priority on the score of civilian service will be available for purchase from the Stationery Office or through any bookseller after the 18th March. and with these forms there will be detailed instructions as to the procedure the applicant should follow.

The help which the Service Departments and other Departments have agreed to give will enable the Home Office to deal with the work more rapidly than would otherwise be possible, and the aim will be to avoid as far as is practicable delays in dealing with those who have good claims to early naturalisation; but the number of applications will undoubtedly be very large, and to get through this great volume of work with proper care will inevitably take time If delays are to be avoided it is important that all applicants should study and observe with care the published instructions and should remember that inquiries and reminders sent to the Home Office slow down the official machine.