§ 1. Mr. Osborneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that many West Indian immigrants would like to return home but cannot do so because they cannot afford the return fare; and since British immigrants are not allowed into the Colonies without sufficient money to pay their return fare, whether he will take powers to ensure that no future colonial immigrants into the United Kingdom will be allowed unless they deposit sufficient money to enable them to return home.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department and Minister for Welsh Affairs (Major Gwilym Lloyd-George)I have no information to support the suggestion in the first part of the Question. As regards the second part, I can add nothing to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend on 27th October.
§ Mr. OsborneHow many, if any, Jamaicans are in receipt of National Assistance and, therefore, are a burden on the British taxpayer? If there are men who wish to return, can my right hon. and gallant Friend provide loans to enable them so to do?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeI could not without notice give the figure for which my hon. Friend asks. My recollection, however, is that their unemployment compares very favourably with our own—as a matter of fact it is about the same. I could not, without notice, answer my hon. Friend's question about whether we can help them with loans. However, very few inquiries have been received at the Colonial Office from people wishing to go back.
§ Mr. YoungerSince the Home Secretary indicated that he has some information about the relative unemployment rates, does that mean that separate records are kept for Jamaicans, apart from the records generally of British subjects? If so, is not that an innovation?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeI do not think that is so. I am subject to correction on this, and I will let the right hon. Gentleman know if I am wrong. Local inquiries were made, and on the whole that was the position which was found; but no separate figures are kept.