HC Deb 14 December 1967 vol 756 cc608-9
16. Mr. Goodhew

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he takes to ensure that immigrant children arriving unaccompanied from the West Indies are coming to the home of a parent who is willing and able to take care of them.

Mr. Ennals

Children under 16 coming to join their parents who are Commonwealth citizens resident here have a statutory right of admission, and my right lion. Friend has no power to prevent, or to attach conditions to, their entry.

Mr. Goodhew

Is not the hon. Gentleman aware that there is a problem here? Some plane loads of children arrive in this country in the care of hostesses and in some cases children go to mothers who have married again and have other children and other families who are not anxious or are unwilling to have them. Surely it is time the Home Office looked into this question, because it affects the welfare of children as well as the welfare services in the constituencies concerned.

Mr. Ennals

I am surprised by what the hon. Gentleman has said. He has not put any such information before us. We are not aware of such a problem. If he has evidence from his constituency or elsewhere, we will seriously look at it.

Mr. Hogg

Has the hon. Gentleman had time to reflect upon the admitted facts which arose out of the last debate on immigration when the present Chancellor of the Exchequer agreed that a serious problem was created by the importation of boys to a single father in this country whom he desires to exploit for the purpose of avoiding a labour voucher?

Mr. Ennals

That is a different though important question. I assure the right hon. and learned Gentleman that since that debate the matter is being looked at very seriously to see what proposals can be made.

Mr. John Fraser

Is my hon. Friend aware that the problems are not limited to children coming from the West Indies?

Mr. Ennals

The point made by the right hon. and learned Member for St. Marylebone (Mr. Hogg) related almost entirely to children from Pakistan. Children from the West Indies nearly all come in with entry certificates because of arrangements made by the carrying company.