§ 15. Mr. Thomas Reidasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many stowaways have arrived in the United Kingdom since the end of the war; from what countries they have come; how many were British subjects; and how the figures compare with prewar average figures.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Ede)From 7th August, 1945, to 13th June, 1949, 1,397 alien stowaways arrived in the United Kingdom; and 1,514 British stowaways arrived in the United Kingdom in the three years, 1946, 1947 and 1948. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT tables showing the nationality of the alien stowaways and the territories from which the British stowaways came. I regret that figures for the pre-war period are not available.
§ Mr. EdeI have legal power to deport alien stowaways, and that is generally done, except when they can prove that they are refugees from political persecution. I have no power to deport stowaways who are British subjects.
§ Following are the tables:
| ALIEN STOWAWAYS | |
| 7th August, 1945, to 13th June, 1949 | |
| Austrian | 1 |
| Belgian | 10 |
| Czech | 7 |
| Danish | 5 |
| Dutch | 52 |
| Finnish | 99 |
| French | 49 |
| German | 69 |
| Greek | 23 |
| Hungarian | 10 |
| Italian | 6 |
| Norwegian | 19 |
| Polish | 107 |
| Portuguese | 229 |
| Roumanian | 28 |
| Russian | 3 |
| Spanish | 222 |
| Swedish | 18 |
| Swiss | 4 |
| Other European Nationals | 14 |
| U.S.A. | 24 |
| Central American | 20 |
| Chinese | 2 |
| Egyptian | 9 |
| Other non-European Nationals | 42 |
| Stateless or Nationality Doubtful | 325 |
| Total of Alien Stowaways | 1,397 |
| BRITISH STOWAWAYS | |
| 1st January, 1946, to 31st December, 1948 | |
| From: | |
| Aden and Yemen | 30 |
| Barbados | 14 |
| British Guiana | 15 |
| British Somaliland | 45 |
| East Africa | 6 |
| Gambia | 109 |
| Gold Coast | 213 |
| Jamaica | 281 |
| Kenya | 7 |
| Nigeria | 267 |
| Sierra Leone | 211 |
| Trinidad | 20 |
| Other Territories | 296 |
| Total of British Stowaways | 1,514 |