§ 18. Mr. N. Pannellasked the Minister of Labour what recent information he has regarding the effect of the recession in the motor-car industry on the employment of colonial and Commonwealth immigrants.
§ Mr. HareThere has been a certain amount of short-time working amongst Commonwealth immigrants in the Midlands.
§ Mr. PannellWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the car-manufacturing area of the Midlands is one of the chief settlement centres for the West Indian immigrants who are arriving in this country in increasing numbers? Will he watch the situation carefully and, if necessary, consult his 375 Cabinet colleagues with a view to introducing some measure of restriction upon the entry of Commonwealth and colonial immigrants?
§ Mr. HareI will certainly take note of what my hon. Friend has said, but I would point out that in the Midlands the unemployment figure in respect of the coloured workers, who constitute the majority of the Commonwealth immigrants to whom he has referred, fell from 676 in August to 674 in November.