HC Deb 03 April 1958 vol 585 cc1415-26

1.32 p.m.

Mr. H. Hynd (Accrington)

The matter which I wish to bring to the notice of the House is summarised in a Motion on the Order Paper signed by various hon. Members on both sides of the House. It says: That in the opinion of this House, the time has arrived for reconsideration of the arrangements whereby British subjects from other parts of the Commonwealth are allowed to enter this country without restriction. This is a difficult, delicate and not very pleasant subject to discuss. It is difficult, because we are proud of our traditional open door, and we have been especially glad to welcome to these shores people from our own Commonwealth. It is delicate, because anyone who raises it is immediately open to the suspicion of racialism or of arousing passions and prejudices which no one wants to arouse. It is not pleasant, because, as a trade unionist and a Socialist, and something of an internationalist as well, my sympathy is with the underdog, particularly those who find it necessary to leave their own country to try to earn a living.

I would be the first to object to any kind of bar on the grounds of race, colour or creed. Indeed, my object today is the very opposite. It is precisely because I am beginning to be afraid that these prejudices may develop in this country that I want something done about this uncontrolled immigration before the position becomes more serious.

I think that there are few who will deny that, despite all the good work of voluntary bodies and individuals, some serious problems have been and are being created, and this House, in doing its public duty, must not shirk the issue. When I asked the Home Secretary a Question on 6th March he stated that there are no accurate statistics but that a rough estimate of the immigrants last year was something like this: Malta, 500, Cyprus, 1,500, Pakistan, 5,000, India, 6,500; and, from the Caribbean countries, 23,000. That was last year.

In an article which appeared in the Manchester Evening News on 18th March there were estimates of the total numbers in this country. It was estimated that there are 17,000 Pakistanis and probably 45,000 Indians. It was stated in a recent court case that between 25,000 and 30,000 Indians and Pakistanis had deserted their ships and are now settled in Birmingham, Coventry and Bradford. It is difficult to get the actual numbers, but there are about 65,000 Cypriots in the country and over 100,000 West Indians. When we add to this number 226,000 from the Irish Republic and over 384,000 aliens, refugees and others who are here under strict rules, it will be agreed that we are stretching our hospitality rather far. For the present, however, I am concerned only with immigration from the Commonwealth.

Why do they come here? It would be possible to open a debate on whether we should not take some steps to help them in their own parts of the world—for example, by encouraging the settlement of West Indians in British Guiana, but that would be opening a very wide subject. It will be seen from the pile of letters in my possession that I have had from all over the country how much public interest has already been aroused by the announcement that this debate will take place. I will quote a few words from a letter at the top of the pile. It is from a voluntary social worker, who writes in strict confidence. He says: Many recently landed coloured folk blame 'the Government'"— presumably he means their Government— for allowing them to leave their own countries and for allowing such glowing pictures to be painted of life in the Mother Country, especially by an Italian shipping company …". I do not know how much truth there is in that, but certainly they are coming, and they seem to be coming in increasing numbers to this country.

People are getting worried about this. These immigrants are undoubtedly adding difficulties to our health authorities. Several hon. Members have asked whether there is any health check at either end of the journey, and apparently there is not. At any rate, the answers to their Questions have been very unsatisfactory and, so far as I can gather, the only check at the moment is that, under the Public Health (Ships and Aircraft) Regulations, 1952, port officers have the right to refuse admission to people with communicable diseases, and that is all.

Lord Onslow, speaking for the Government in another place last Monday, said that there were 434,000 people on the hospital waiting lists at the last count. This is serious when we think of all these people coming in and many of them possibly needing hospital treatment and adding to the waiting lists. There is the housing difficulty which is worrying us all, and these people are adding to that problem. There is the question of unemployment. At present, the figures have about reached the half-million mark in this country. How will that situation be effected by this flood of immigrants?

There is the question of the size of school classes, a subject that has been worrying several Ministers. People who come into this country will multiply by natural processes, and will add to the difficulty of the size of school classes. Perhaps the most urgent of all is the question of National Assistance, because we would not see anybody starving. When these people arrive in this country they immediately become eligible for National Assistance; we know the financial difficulties which the Government have had in that connection, and it is something which cannot be ignored.

Hospitality is a very worthy virtue, and we are all proud and pleased to welcome guests into our own homes. But would we be justified in inviting into our homes more guests than can reasonably be housed and fed without serious detriment to our own families, even if those guests offered to pay for their accommodation or even if they happened to be relatives? Nationally, as well as domestically, we must try to keep within our means; otherwise, we shall get into serious trouble. I want to avoid that serious trouble which is all too obviously building up. The old adage that prevention is better than cure applies very much in this case. Are the Government watching the development of this problem, and, if so, what do they intend to do about it?

The hon. Lady the Joint Under-Secretary of State might, quite legitimately, ask me what I suggest should be done about it, and I should like to state, in a few words, the kind of thing I have in mind. I suggest that there should be no restriction on visitors and students, that we should admit, within limits, those who have jobs and homes guaranteed, that we might well consider barring people with no visible means of support, people who are obviously invalids who may be a burden on the National Health Service, and people with criminal records—apparently they are not banned—absconding husbands and the like. Also, we might well consider taking powers to deport those who break the law, just as we do with people from foreign countries.

Are those suggestions unreasonable? It is exactly the kind of thing which is done by all other countries of the Commonwealth. People cannot go from this country to one of them and just walk in as others can come to this country. It is surely quite reasonable to ask for reciprocity.

The Home Secretary has been standing on the principle that it is the historic right of anybody with a British passport to come freely into this country, a very admirable principle so long as we can afford to continue to abide by it. I wonder whether the Home Secretary will be able to maintain that principle if, say, another million people pour into this country. I hope that the Government will seriously re-examine the present situation.

1.41 p.m.

Mr. James Lindsay (Devon, North)

I am pleased to support what the hon. Member for Accrington (Mr. H. Hynd) has said. I was very impressed by the way the hon. Gentleman opened the debate by saying what a very delicate and difficult, though important, subject this is, making it quite clear—I absolutely agree—that it is the possible threat behind the present situation which so many people are worried about.

Anyone from the Dominions or Colonies is allowed to come here as and when he wishes. There are no fewer than 630 million people in the Dominions and Colonies. We offer them a very warm welcome and very generous hospitality, and it is not surprising that very many come. The number who came here in 1956 was 178,000. We are becoming a country of immigration, which is a very great change. The whole question calls for attention, debate and discussion because the change in our country's setup is really a revolutionary one.

There are two problems, one economic and the other social. The economic problem revolves round the problem of employment. Until quite recently, all the immigrants who arrived easily found unskilled jobs, but the position has slightly changed recently and, apparently, there is a great number of them now unemployed. Some figures about Yorkshire came out only yesterday, and I believe that the picture there is reflected in many other parts of the country. We see the threat, the shadow, of an American recession over this country and, moreover, the promises of science indicate that there will be less and less drudgery in the future, calling for fewer and fewer unskilled workers.

We ought, therefore, to question closely any decision to increase the supply of unskilled labour at a time when there is likely to be a decrease in the demand. We ought to ask ourselves whether we are right to adopt the policy of the "open door". That was a policy which America and other young countries, years ago, at a time when they had vast undeveloped lands crying out for manpower, found very suitable for them; but they long ago ceased to abide by it and they now have the most rigid controls. We should very carefully consider whether it is not right to adopt a measure of control here.

The social aspect of immigration is more important because its effects are more permanent and fundamental. According to the Report of the Oversea Migration Board for last year, a quarter of the immigrants, that is to say, a quarter of the 178,000—45,000—were coloured people. This is a great influx of coloured people into this country, and it will make a great difference to the composition of the population. We are starting on the road to becoming a multiracial country, a mixed community. We must face the facts.

As the hon. Member for Accrington said, it is a delicate subject, but we must not evade it. We must accept the facts of the situation and discuss the question fully, freely and openly. We must not be induced by fear of being thought to desire a colour bar or to have colour prejudice into simulating colour blindness. The fact is there, and it is our duty in the House to look at it fairly and squarely. We must look at things as they are and decide whether they are right.

Now is the time to decide the question. It is for the people of the country to decide. I am very glad that we are having this debate, and I hope that it will be carried on in the country. I know that there is little time today, and that other hon. Members wish to speak, but I hope that there will be further opportunities to debate this very important subject.

Multi-racial countries have a colour problem, and we must accept that. We see it in countries like South Africa and America and in the mixed Colonies; and a very deplorable and sad thing it is. We pride ourselves on our tolerance and we say that that sort of thing cannot happen here. I am quite convinced that the worst side could not happen, but there always is the possibility of trouble, and it is the risk of trouble, the threat—I emphatically agree with the hon. Member for Accrington—which is so important. Already, we have seen signs of difficulty in the employment of coloured labour even at a time when there was absolutely full employment.

Another thing which I do not regard as at all desirable is that coloured people tend to go to certain jobs, municipal work, transport and the like, and, also, that they segregate themselves in certain areas. This is a deplorable and very disturbing element.

The problem of racialism, nationalism or colour is one which we have not yet had, but the threat is there. It is really just about the worst problem in the world today, and it is the only one to which no answer has so far been found. It is about the only problem which this country has not had to face. We have had plenty of difficulties and problems over the thousand years of our history. Unless there are overwhelming advantages—and I cannot see them—we ought not to lay ourselves open to this possible trouble.

I re-emphasise what the hon. Member for Accrington said. The countries from which immigrants come all have restrictions and controls. There could be no question of our discriminating against them. They could not be offended. They believe that it is right to have control, and we should say, "We agree with you and we, too, will have controls". There could be no difficulty on that score. I hope that we shall hear from the Government that they are very much aware of the difficulty and that, having looked into the matter, they will make a statement about their ideas and policy.

1.49 p.m.

Mr. Marcus Lipton (Brixton)

For a long time some of us have been trying to find out what action the Government are taking to deal with what is undoubtedly a social and economic problem. There is much to be said for the argument advanced by my hon. Friend the Member for Accrington (Mr. H. Hynd) and the hon. Member for Devon, South (Mr. J. Lindsay), that there should be some reciprocity of treatment as between this country and the countries of the Commonwealth. If there were completely reciprocal arrangements, I do not think that there would be very much complaint in any quarter.

More than three years ago, the Lambeth Borough Council, which looks after an area where there is a considerable coloured population, sent a deputation to the Colonial Office pointing out the various difficulties and problems which require attention. Nothing was done about that. In December last year, just before the Christmas Recess, some of toy hon. Friends, on the Adjournment, raised various difficulties relating to the housing of coloured immigrants in London. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government said that he would give the matter his attention. Nothing has happened, except that I have had from him a letter saying that he realises that local authorities cannot do much about it, but that he will follow up the possibility of dealing with the housing problem with the National Federation of Housing Associations.

Mr. Albert Evans (Islington, South-West)

Was it not the case that, at that time when the debate took place, the Parliamentary Secretary admitted that there was a considerable problem, certainly in the large towns, in the housing of coloured people? That was an admission we had from him.

Mr. Lipton

Yes, he did make that admission, and he did look into the problem, but the only effect of his looking into it is that, first, he now realises that local authorities cannot do anything about it, and, secondly, that the only way of getting over the problem is to have discussions with the National Federation of Housing Associations. This leaves the position in a very unsatisfactory state. I hope that the Joint Under-Secretary of State will be able to give a specific indication that the Government are applying their mind to this problem, because the situation cannot be allowed to drift along without action being taken.

Mr. Christopher Boyd (Bristol, North-West)

Will not my hon. Friend agree that the housing aspect of this problem is actually helped more by the greater volume of emigration than made more difficult by the smaller volume of immigration?

Mr. Lipton

So far as I know, there is no emigration from the constituency which I have the honour to represent.

1.51 p.m.

The Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Miss Patricia Hornsby-Smith)

First, I would like to thank the hon. Member for Accrington (Mr. H. Hynd) for the very objective manner in which he has raised this matter. He has very courageously aired what is undoubtedly a controversial topic in a very fair and factual manner. He will agree with me that no one wishes lightly to prejudice the traditional freedom of British Commonwealth subjects to come to this country. But let us not blind ourselves to the fact that it would be out of order for me to answer fully many of the suggestions that have been put forward by hon. Members, because they would provoke legislation.

The suggestions that have been made for control on entry, restrictions on employment or for powers to deport would all involve major legislation. Nevertheless, while we welcome British subjects to this country, I agree with hon. Members on both sides that we cannot ignore the rising potential of this immigration In view of the size of the populations of the countries from which these people are coming, we have to take stock of the position as it now presents itself, and to realise that it could in the future possibly constitute a very grave burden on this country if the trend were to increase, or if the numbers arriving in this country were to become out of proportion to those that the country can reasonably absorb.

So far as numbers are concerned, the total coloured population of Great Britain is estimated at about 190,000 at the present time. About 100,000 of these came from the West Indies and about 50,000 from India and Pakistan. In recent years the annual net inward migration of coloured people has been about 40,000. The total from the West Indies has varied, but it has averaged about 25,000, while the total from India and Pakistan has steadily increased until last year it was in the neighbourhood of 12,000. This figure, if this year's trends continue, may well be considerably increased during the present year.

So far as employment is concerned—and if immigrants can be absorbed in employment that is a large contribution towards their being assimilated in the country—generally coloured workers have settled down in employment satisfactorily. They have formed a very useful part of the labour force. In particular, immigrants from the West Indies usually find suitable jobs in a comparatively short time and have proved highly satisfactory workers. Anyone who uses public transport in our big cities will know that they have filled a very great gap in staff and, with their United Kingdom fellow-workers, have done a very good job. The heavy demand for labour has, however, eased in recent months and there is no doubt that coloured workers generally are finding it more difficult to get employment than they did previously. The regular unemployment statistics of the Ministry of Labour do not, of course, distinguish unemployed workers by their country of origin, let alone by their colour.

I hope that hon. Members will not take it that we are not interested in or conscious of this problem. The Minister of Labour has caused special inquiries to be made from the employment exchanges, and these reveal that the numbers of unemployed coloured workers have increased substantially compared with last autumn. Compared with six months ago, the number of unemployed coloured workers has doubled from 7,500 to 15,000. The increase has been particularly marked among the Indians and Pakistanis, who tend to congregate in a few industrial areas. One has to accept the fact that Indians and Pakistanis are not as readily employed as West Indians. A number of them are handicapped by their initial inability to speak English, by illiteracy, and by poor physique, which makes it impossible for them to take the normal labouring jobs which would otherwise be available.

On the other hand, the rise in unemployment among West Indians has been considerably less than that among Indians and Pakistanis. The number of unemployed West Indians rose from 4,500 to 6,500, but unemployment among Indians and Pakistanis increased fourfold. While the total number over the whole country is not vast, the problem is accentuated in the constituencies of certain hon. Members, because these people tend to congregate in a few selected areas.

The review shows that there are nearly 1,500 in the Birmingham area, including 1,300 who have been identified as Pakistanis, and there are substantial groups in Bradford, Attercliffe, Coventry, Walsall, Manchester, Liverpool and the Stepney district of London. As the recent increase in unemployment in this country has been largely among the less skilled workers, it is obvious that this will have a considerable impact on the coloured population in this country.

So far as health is concerned, the impact of coloured people on the National Assistance Board has not so far been such as to cause anxiety to the Board as a result of demands made upon it; nor have they placed excessive demands on the National Health Service generally. Until very recently the health of the majority on arrival has not been notably inferior to that of the established population in this country, although in recent months there has been evidence of a higher incidence of tuberculosis among immigrants from India and Pakistan and, to a certain extent, the Irish Republic.

Mr. A. Evans

Is there a health check on immigrants?

Miss Hornsby Smith

No; but they come to notice when they make use of the Health Service. That is when we find them.

In a survey last September it was found that about 1.4 per cent. of the in-patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis were immigrants who had arrived during the preceeding twelve months.

So far as crime and public order is concerned, the information in the possession of the Home Office, taken as a whole, does not suggest that immigrants from other parts of the Commonwealth engage in crime to any greater extent than the natives of our own country. A special inquiry made of certain large police forces, a year ago, showed that certain types of immigrant possess a propensity to live on the immoral earnings of women and to traffic in dangerous drugs. In some areas certain coloured immigrants appeared disproportionately prone to crimes of violence, but against their own fellow countrymen. The figures are not large, but the concentration of these people in certain cities encourages wider publicity than their record justifies in relation to that of the members of the native population.

The figures are not large and it cannot be said that the coloured population of this country constitutes any special police problem. Although the coloured immigrants are not, on the whole, being assimilated into the country, there is no doubt that the West Indians have gained a wide measure of acceptance and that little friction has occurred, except in one or two isolated and unhappy cases of housing problems.

It would be idle to suggest that housing does not give rise to difficulties. These people come in quite substantial numbers and concentrate on a few cities where there is a labour demand, or where they believe a demand exists, and they add still further to the existing housing difficulties. They congregate where the employment prospects are good and, almost inevitably, where the housing shortage is most acute. The matter was fully explored in a recent Adjournment debate.

We have taken steps with certain of the Commonwealth authorities—for example, the British Caribbean Welfare Service—to discourage unsuitable immigrants. This Service provides, for example, the West Indian Governments and the public with comprehensive information about conditions in the United Kingdom, with particular emphasis on the employment situation. Consequently, immigrants from the West Indies are less unprepared for the conditions, the climate and the possibilities of work in this country than they were in the initial stages of this immigration.

The Governments of India and Pakistan have for many years taken measures to prevent the issue of passports to migrants who are not likely to find work in this country, but I would not be frank with the House if I did not say that in view of the very large intake of Indians and Pakistanis last year there appears to be some evasion of this control. The Commonwealth Relations Office is making inquiries with the Governments of India and Pakistan to see whether any further steps in this matter are possible.

In general, this is a major matter. It would be a completely new departure for the Government to exercise control over immigrants from the Commonwealth and, of course, any measure, even partial or selective, as hon. Members have suggested, to control immigration would require legislation. All I can say is that we are certainly not complacent about this problem. I have shown by the special inquiries and the records of both crime and employment that we are going deeply into the situation and are anxiously watching it, but we remain reluctant to contemplate any departure from our traditional readiness to receive all citizens who have the status of a British subject.

We consider it necessary to study the information which is becoming available from these investigations, and to do the best we can with the Commonwealth Governments to obtain their co-operation on immigration, in the hope that it may prove possible for the problem to be solved without considering the wider implication of major legislation. Certainly, we are not complacent. We are watching the situation closely.

Again, I thank the hon. Member for Accrington and my hon. Friend the Member for Devon, North (Mr. J. Lindsay) for the very objective way in which they raised this most important matter.