§ 33. Mr. N. Pannellasked the Minister of Labour how many applications for employment vouchers he has received under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act; how many he has issued; how many have lapsed; and how many successful applicants have taken advantage of such vouchers.
§ Mr. WhitelawUp to 17th May, 122,185 applications had been received and 40,250 vouchers had been issued. Vouchers totalling 3,968 had been returned to the Ministry because their validity had expired or because the holders no longer required them. Up to the end of April, 10,147 Commonwealth citizens had used their vouchers to enter the country.
§ Mr. PannellIn view of the continuing high level of unemployment and the fact that according to figures supplied by my hon. Friend, another 30,000 immigrants can enter the country within the next few months against vouchers already issued, does he not consider that the issue of vouchers should be suspended until 429 the position improves? Is it not deplorable that so many vouchers should be issued to immigrants to enter the country to the detriment of British nationals who are seeking work?
§ Mr. WhitelawOver the past few months, arrivals of voucher holders have been only a few hundred a week. There is no evidence that this rate is likely to be stepped up. I should also point out that the figure of 26,371 unemployed, which I gave to my hon. Friend in a Written Answer on 20th May, was 4,380 below the figure for April and some 11,000 below the figure for July, 1962, when the control began.