HC Deb 09 May 1966 vol 728 cc6-7
17. Mr. Maddan

asked the Minister of Health what improvements and extensions have been made since the publication in August of the White Paper, Immigration from the Commonwealth, to the facilities for making checks, including X-rays, on the health of immigrants at ports of entry; and to what proportion of Commonwealth immigrants health checks at the port of entry are currently being applied.

Mr. K. Robinson

As I informed the hon. Member on 20th December, the existing facilities have not changed but they are being more comprehensively used. Virtually all voucher holders, and some others, are medically examined at the ports of entry but entitled dependants, who in the first three months of this year made up about three quarters of those admitted for settlement, are not subject to medical examination under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act.

Mr. Maddan

Would the right hon. Gentleman agree that it is very important that there should be full medical checking at the port of entry, from the point of view both of public health in this country and of inducing confidence towards Commonwealth immigrants among people living here? Is not his reply disappointing, in that the White Paper said that there would be further improvements in the health checks at the port of entry

Mr. Robinson

We do not feel that elaborate facilities at the port of entry would be justified, in view of the fact that we are actively consulting Commonwealth Governments about more comprehensive checks in the countries of origin. We think that that is the best way of handling the matter, but certainly, within the limits of the statutory powers, we are examining the great majority of immigrants.

Mr. Lubbock

Are equally thorough health checks being applied to the much greater number of aliens coming into the country?

Mr. Robinson

The same provisions apply to both.