Immigration (Hansard, 21 July 1955)

§ 8. Mr. Osborne
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take powers to prohibit the immigration into the United Kingdom from the Commonwealth, irrespective of colour, race, or creed, the idle, the unfit, and those with a criminal record, and to deport those who join any of these categories after immigration into the United Kingdom.

§ Major Lloyd-George
As my hon. Friend knows, this is but one aspect of the problem of immigration into this country from overseas which the Government have been studying. I regret that I can add nothing to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave on the general question on 21st June.

§ Mr. Osborne
When does my right hon. and gallant Friend think that the Government will have made up their mind on this very serious problem, and when can we expect action? Further, as nearly every Government in the Commonwealth has power to exclude Englishmen who fall in these three categories, have we not also the right to protect ourselves from the unfit, the idle, and those with criminal records?

§ Major Lloyd-George
That, of course, raises a very wide question indeed, and one which cannot be tackled without very careful consideration. We all appreciate the possible social consequences of unrestricted entry into this country, but there is, on the other hand, the importance of maintaining the traditional ties between this country and the Commonwealth. I can assure my hon. Friend that this matter is receiving—and has for some time been receiving—the most active attention. It is not an easy problem to solve.

§ 14. Mr. N. Pannell
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the introduction of legislation providing for the deportation of stowaways arriving at United Kingdom ports from Commonwealth and colonial countries.

§ Major Lloyd-George
I presume that my hon. Friend has in mind stowaways 538 who are British subjects and whom there is consequently no power to deport. Legislation such as is suggested would not, I think, be practicable without raising wider questions.

§ Mr. Pannell
Would my right hon. and gallant Friend agree that these stowaways represent a class of potential criminals whose activities react unfavourably on the mass of law-abiding colonial immigrants? Would he look into the matter again in that light?

§ Major Lloyd-George
That raises very much wider questions, if they are British subjects. They can be proceeded against, if the shipping company so wishes, as stowaways. The number, particularly from West Africa, which is one of the biggest sources, has been dropping steadily since 1947.

§ Mr. J. Griffiths
Has the right hon. and gallant Gentleman any knowledge which justifies the implication in the supplementary question that these stowaways are often criminals?

§ Major Lloyd-George
Nothing to indicate that there are any more criminals among them than in any other class.