HC Deb 26 February 1947 vol 433 cc2059-61
39. Mr. K. Lindsay

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs which countries have now agreed to accept refugees from Europe; what numbers have already embarked; and to which countries.

Mr. Mayhew

As the answer is rather long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. With regard to the admission of refugees into the United Kingdom, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour to a question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Aston (Mr. Wyatt) on 20th February.

The following is the answer:

Agreements have been signed or tentatively arranged between the Governments of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Venezuela and the Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees under which it is hoped that 200 families will go to Bolivia, 1,000 to Brazil, 2,000 to Chile and 5,000 to Venezuela during 1947. Further movements to these countries are expected if the early movements prove successful. The Government of Paraguay has indicated to the Inter-Governmental Committee that it is willing to admit individuals who have racial or religious affinities with residents of Paraguay. No specific limit has been put to this, but there are practical reasons for limiting the movement to a few thousand immigrants. Further projects for group settlement in Paraguay are under discussion. The Government of Canada has announced that it will admit into that country certain categories of close relatives of Canadian residents. To date, 2,500 relatives have been nominated, and the Inter-Governmental Committee is engaged on registering those that can be found. The first group is expected to sail on 4th April. The Canadian Government have expressed interest to the Committee in receiving a number of technicians and skilled workers, but details are not complete.

The Australian Government has given landing permits to about 6,000 persons, most of whom are refugee relatives of Australian residents. The possibility of further immigration of skilled workers is under consideration. The South African Government has established immigration missions in The Hague and in Rome, the latter of which has expressed interest in the immigration especially of Yugoslav refugees in Italy. Arrangements for testing the skills of selected immigrants are being made in conjunction with the military authorities and the local representative of the Committee. Immigration into the U.S.A. is governed by quotas, which allow the immigration of 39,000 persons from Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe annually. These quotas are not at present being filled as it is not possible to find sufficient applicants born in Germany. The Belgian Government, after negotiations with the American occupation authorities in Germany and the Intergovernmental Committee, have agreed to accept 20,000 coal miners and their families. Negotiations are under way for the transfer of a similar number from the British zone.

The French Government have sent a mission to Germany to investigate the possibility of receiving 100,000 persons from among displaced persons there. The Inter-Governmental Committee has reached agreement that 6,000 families of persons of specific skills be admitted to each of Morocco and Tunis. Arrangements are being made for the movement to start shortly. It is impossible to compute the total number of non-repatriable refugees and displaced persons who have already been moved to countries of resettlement. Arrangements are made by the individuals themselves, by voluntary agencies and by the Inter-Governmental Committee. During the last five months of 1946, 2,700 persons were moved as individual migrants under arrangements by which the Committee contributed in whole or in part to their cost of transport. So far during 1947, about 600 persons are estimated to have been moved under similar conditions. In addition, 2,300 Mennonites have been moved to Paraguay.