HC Deb 25 May 1954 vol 528 cc184-5
14. Mr. Sorensen

asked the Minister of Labour how many employment exchanges have special departments to deal with colonials who arrive in this country; how many of these have been registered during the past 12 months; and how many have found employment.

Mr. Watkinson

None, Sir. The employment exchanges do not exercise any discrimination on grounds of race or colour, and I have no record that permits me to furnish the hon. Member with the statistical information he desires.

Mr. Sorensen

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that that is quite incorrect? At an East London employment exchange there is a special department for colonials who arrive in that area, and the manager of the exchange does excellent work in a non-discriminatory way to place these men. Will the hon. Gentleman look into the matter further and find out to what extent these men may suffer at their work from colour discrimination and whether, on the whole, they are being treated satisfactorily?

Mr. Watkinson

I think the hon. Member has the wrong idea. I quite agree that we have special people in our employment exchanges to help place these men and women because we think that is the best way of doing the job. That is not any form of colour discrimination, but is done because we try to help them.

Mr. Sorensen

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that I am not suggesting there is colour discrimination at the exchanges? On the contrary, I am praising these efforts. What I now want to know is why the hon. Gentleman said at the beginning that there is no special department and later he said that there is?

Mr. Watkinson

I must have misunderstood the question, which I thought bore on colour discrimination. If there is any particular point the hon. Member would like me to look at, I will certainly do so.

Mr. Nicholson

Is my hon. Friend satisfied that no serious problem is presented by the considerable immigration of coloured labour which has taken place recently? Is he satisfied that it does not have a deleterious effect on employment of citizens in this country and that colonial immigrants are not suffering unduly?

Mr. Watkinson

That would not be a question for my Department to answer, but I think it is fair to say that we have had a lot of experience in placing these types of men and women, and I think that, on the whole, we do manage to place a large number of them in employment.