HC Deb 28 November 1963 vol 685 cc458-9
22. Mr. Biggs-Davison

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what consideration he has given to the relief of pressure upon land available for housing development by introducing legislation to enable United Kingdom migrants to other Commonwealth countries to be given assistance, by his Department, in obtaining accommodation.

The Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and for the Colonies (Mr. R. P. Homby)

The Government cannot undertake to consider legislation which would give financial assistance towards the housing of people migrating to other Commonwealth countries. I see no reason to depart from the well-established principle that the receiving country should be responsible for the housing and welfare of its immigrants.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

Are the Government going to give practical effect to their promises of good will towards Commonwealth migration? Have the Government made any recent study of what should be the optimum population of the United Kingdom in this and in succeeding generations? Surely this should form part of their plans for the modernisation of Britain. As for the modernisation of the Commonwealth, should not the Government work for a better distribution of the British population between the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries of European settlement?

Mr. Hornby

On the question of co-operation with the Commonwealth, migration must run at the rate which the receiving countries can properly assimilate, and the Government's rôle must be one of co-operation and collaboration with the receiving countries. There have been recent studies of this problem, but the question of the total population of this country is a different problem.

Mr. P. Williams

Will my hon. Friend consider amending his rather passive approach to this matter? Will he further consider, now that he is Chairman of the Overseas Migration Board, occasionally calling a meeting of the Board?

Mr. Hornby

That is also a slightly different question. The Board has only recently met, as a matter of fact, and it is open to any member of the Board to ask for a meeting. This can then be arranged.

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