§ 11. Mr. Pavittasked the Minister of Health what was the rate of incidence per 1,000 of active pulmonary tuberculosis in West Indian immigrants for each of the past three years.
§ Mr. PavittIs the hon. Lady aware that the British Medical Journal recently gave a figure of 1 per thousand? In view of the very low incidence of active pulmonary tuberculosis in the West Indies, is it not nonsense to seek to exclude West Indians from coming to this country on grounds of health? Would not the hon. Lady agree that it would be far better to treat these people and send them out into the world cured than to exclude them from coming to this country?
§ Miss PittThe question of their entry is, of course, another matter, but it is 12 correct that the incidence of tuberculosis among West Indians is, on the average, not higher than in the rest of the population. It is higher in the case of Asians.
§ Commander KeransWould my hon. Friend agree that the recent report by the British Medical Association shows that there is a very high incidence of tuberculosis among people coming to this country from Asian countries, and from the West Indies? Will she look into this matter again?
§ Miss PittI referred to Asians in my answer to an earlier supplementary question, but I should add that in general I have no reason to believe that immigrants from the Commonwealth have been responsible for bringing infectious disease to this country to an extent likely to involve a risk to public health.