Commonwealth Immigrants (Hansard, 9 July 1964)

§ 44 and 45. Mr. N. Pannell
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) how many Commonwealth immigrants were admitted by means of work vouchers during the 11 months ended 31st May, 1964; and how many dependants of immigrants were admitted during the same period; and

§ Mr. Brooke
During the 11 months to 31st May, 1964, 26,462 Commonwealth citizens subject to immigration control under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962, were admitted as holders of Ministry of Labour vouchers, and 27,531 as dependants accompanying or coming to join the head of the household. The nett inward movement from all parts of the Commonwealth during this period was 76,483. During the 11 months to 31st May, 1963, the nett inward movement was 27,159.

§ Mr. Pannell
In view of this tremendous increase, which represents an influx far greater than in any previous year except 1961–62, will my right hon. Friend co-operate with his right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour to ensure that all applications for vouchers are suspended for the time being and that vouchers are issued only for those who have jobs to come to until the present situation is under control?

§ Mr. Brooke
No, Sir. I would not say that the present situation was not under control. In fact, unemployment 618 among Commonwealth citizens is only one-third what it was when the control was introduced. The comparison between 1962–63 and 1963–64 is not an absolutely straight one, because there was an almost complete drying-up of immigration for some months after the Act had begun to operate.

§ Mr. K. Robinson
Is the Home Secretary aware that currently 16 per cent. of the student nurses and pupil nurses in our hospitals are Commonwealth immigrants and that without their assistance it would be quite impossible to staff the hospitals of Britain?

§ Mr. Brooke
I think we should all be very grateful indeed to Commonwealth immigrants who are doing valuable jobs in this country.

§ Mr. Pannell
Is not the whole essence of the question that if they have jobs to come to they should be admitted and that therefore those to whom the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North (Mr. K. Robinson) referred have jobs and would not be affected, but that when immigrants come here without jobs great difficulties are created?

§ Mr. Brooke
About half of those coming now are dependants over whom the Act imposes no control. The vast majority of those who obtain vouchers are either people who have definite jobs to come to or some special skill which qualifies them to be of use to this country.

§ Sir T. Beamish
Is my right hon. Friend able to say what proportion of those who apply to come are actually admitted?

§ Mr. Brooke
Not without notice.

§ Mr. Shinwell
Would the right hon. Gentleman convey the opinions of the hon. Member for Liverpool, Kirkdale (Mr. N. Pannell) to the representatives attending the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference?

§ Mr. Brooke
I think that the Commonwealth Prime Ministers and the Commonwealth Governments generally realise that it was necessary for us to impose a control and that we have administered it wisely and well.

§ Mr. Ronald Bell
Do the figures which my right hon. Friend has given for the 619 last 12 months represent an inflow which is exceptional in some ways? If not, does he realise that an annual net inflow of that character would in ten years give us an addition of nearly one million to the coloured population of the country?

§ Mr. Brooke
My hon. Friend may be under a misapprehension. I was giving figures of the total Commonwealth inflow, not the coloured Commonwealth inflow.

§ Mr. Fletcher
Is the future operation of this Act being considered by the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference?

§ Mr. Brooke
That is a question not for me but for my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.