§ 3. Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will have the housing difficulties of British migrants in Australia investigated with a view either to assisting them to buy their own houses or discussing with the Australian Government means to assist them to do so.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (Mr. Braine)The Fifth Report of the Oversea Migration Board, published last March, contains, among other matters, the findings of an investigation into housing. My right hon. Friend does not consider that further investigation would be appropriate. Prospective migrants to Australia are warned that difficulty over housing may confront them on arrival. The Australian authorities are, however, making strenuous efforts to cope with this problem. The last two years have been record ones for the building industry in Australia and the rate continues to rise.
§ Mr. FisherIs my hon. Friend aware that housing is the bottleneck? There are very few houses to rent and houses are very expensive to buy. Is my hon. Friend also aware that the average time spent by British migrants in hostels before they can find accommodation is as long as fifty-nine weeks. Why is it that the Italian and Dutch Governments can assist their migrants with financial help in housing in our Commonwealth but we cannot help our own citizens?
Mr. IgraineThe Governments to which my hon. Friend refers have, as he well knows, special economic problems of their own with which this country is not faced. The present circumstances, of course, are not deterring migrants from going to Australia, and present figures are quite encouraging.