§ 5. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of the Federation of the Rhodesias and Nyasaland regarding the deportation of Mr. Crawford Lyall, a United Kingdom citizen.
§ Mr. BrockwayIs the hon. Gentleman aware that Mr. Crawford Lyall was a volunteer in the Colonial Service attached to the security forces, that his conscience would not allow him to continue in the kind of work he was asked to do, that he associated with Africans, that he was adopted as a candidate for the Independence Party and three days later was ordered to be deported without any charge being made against him? Are the Government not going to protect British citizens when they are in a position like that?
§ Mr. BraineNo, Sir. Immigration is a responsibility of the Federal Government. The Immigration Act under which Mr. Lyall was declared a prohibited immigrant empowers the Federal Government so to declare anyone not a Federal 635 citizen or born in the Federation on grounds specified in Section 5 (1) of the Act. There are therefore no legal grounds on which representations could be made.
§ Mr. DugdaleWhile fully realising that immigration is, of course, a Federal matter, may I ask the hon. Gentleman whether he could not make a protest? Would he not make a protest if it were a foreign country completely responsible for its own affairs if the person were a British subject?
§ Mr. BraineIf evidence were brought to my right hon. Friend's notice suggesting that the circumstances in which the deportation was effected had caused hardship, I am sure that he would consider whether representations would be justified on that score, but Mr. Lyall has made no such representation to us.