HC Deb 14 December 1953 vol 522 cc7-9
12. Major Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take as a result of the study of the report of the meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee for European Migration, which took place in October, in Venice

15. Mr. Noel-Baker

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will now join the Inter-Governmental Committee for European Migration, in view of the fact that the contribution to the administrative funds of the Committee would only be £70,000 a year, and that Australia and Canada are both members

The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Douglas Dodds-Parker)

Her Majesty's Government have studied the report of the meeting of this Committee which took place in October in Venice, and the question of further action is under consideration.

Major Beamish

That is a very disappointing answer. Is my hon. Friend aware that this organisation has now been in existence for more than two years, that it originally had 16 member countries and now has 24, and that it has resettled about 150,000 people from over-populated countries in Europe, more than 40,000 of whom have gone to Canada? Is it not, in these circumstances, really important that we should join as soon as possible?

Mr. Dodds-Parker

The Government are, of course, sympathetic towards the existence of this Committee and, as I said, the question of further action is under consideration.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Is it not a fact that Canada and Australia are co-operating very actively with the Committee and would warmly welcome the membership of the Government in the United Kingdom? Is it not also a fact that the Committee is now considering schemes for large-scale development of undeveloped countries in overseas lands which would be greatly to British interests if carried out?

Mr. Dodds-Parker

The right hon. Gentleman is quite right, and those factors will, of course, be taken into consideration.

Sir R. Acland

The hon. Gentleman says the Government are sympathetic, but is there any reason to suppose that the priest and Levite who passed by on the other side were not sympathetic to the traveller on the road to Jericho?

Mr. Brooman-White

Is it not most undesirable that we should not only fall behind other countries of Western Europe but behind other countries of the Commonwealth in dealing with matters of this kind?

Mr. Dodds-Parker

I do not think that this country or Government can be behind many people in dealing with the problems of refugees and migration. I do not think that any country of comparable size and resources has done more than this country has.