§ 8. Mr. Stewardasked the Minister of Labour how many colonial immigrants are drawing unemployment benefit; and what plans have been drawn up to safeguard the employment of these British subjects in conjunction with the trades unions.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThese immigrants cannot qualify for unemployment benefit until they have been employed in this country for at least 26 weeks. Separate statistics of the number in receipt of benefit are not maintained. As my hon. Friend recognises, they are British subjects, and we have not found that there is any need for special plans to safeguard their employment.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonDoes the Ministry of Labour get advance information through the Colonial Office that these immigrants are going to be dumped at the quayside or some London terminus without jobs or homes to go to, thus making it unnecessary for the employment exchanges and the local authorities to improvise the best arrangements they, can after they arrive?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI have already said that so far we have not found any particular difficulty in placing these men in employment.
§ Mr. RankinCould we be informed whether or not any of these immigrants have been employed by the Kitchen Committee?
§ Mr. WatkinsonNot without notice.
§ 18. Mr. Remnantasked the Minister of Labour if he is now in a position to state the number of male persons from the West Indies whose first entry into this country was during 1954, who are now unemployed.
§ Mr. WatkinsonI regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available.
§ Mr. RemnantDespite that, could my hon. Friend give any indication whether the number is small or appreciable?
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe difficulty is that, and I think very rightly, our employment exchanges do not differentiate in any way on grounds of colour and therefore we do not keep these statistics.