Ukrainians (Registration) (Hansard, 10 March 1960)

§ 28. Mr. de Freitas
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has completed his consideration of the possibility of allowing Ukrainians in this country to register as Ukrainians instead of as Russians or as Polish or as of uncertain origin.

§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. David Renton)
In replying to the debate on 16th February, I undertook to consider this matter in relation to the review of registration of aliens generally. In the meantime, the police are being advised to suspend action to amend the existing registrations of Ukrainians.

§ Mr. de Freitas
Does that mean that the wretched people who do not regard themselves either as Russians or as Poles may now register as Ukrainians?

§ Mr. Renton
No; it means that those who are already registered as Ukrainians will not be advised to change the registration to "uncertain nationality" with "U" in brackets. The future registration of Ukrainians, of which there is not likely to be a very large number, will, of course, be in compliance with the present law which requires the nationality to be stated, or, alternatively, in the case of Ukrainians, the classification which I have described.

§ Lieut.-Colonel Cordeaux
This decision, although only an interim measure, will be extremely welcome to the Ukrainians in this country, who will 622 agree that my hon. and learned Friend's promise on 16th February, when he offered them a ray of hope, was in no sense an understatement. Will my hon. and learned Friend now consider allowing to revert to their former registration as Ukrainians those Ukrainians who were re-registered as Russian or Polish or as of uncertain nationality as a result of Home Office Circular 119 of 10th September?

§ Mr. Renton
I am grateful to my hon. and gallant Friend for what he said about this decision. Quite candidly, I doubt that it would be wise to insist upon further amendment of the registration because quite enough confusion was caused by the last attempt. Nevertheless, I think that my hon. and gallant Friend can rest assured that, when my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has completed his review of aliens registration, the result will be satisfactory.