HC Deb 04 July 1968 vol 767 cc1679-80
26. Mr. Hooley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now relax the stringency of the control over immigration into the United Kingdom of British subjects of Asian origin now resident in East Africa, in view of recent immigration trends.

55. Mr. Luard

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the control over immigration into the United Kingdom of British subjects of Asian origin from Kenya, in view of recent immigration figures.

Mr. Callaghan

No, Sir. There is no indication at present that the control is proving unduly stringent or that it is failing to meet the needs of those concerned.

Mr. Hooley

In view of the unfortunate consequences of this Act which has created a category of people with a nationality but no homeland, and which has been internationally condemned by certain important bodies, could we not at least indicate some generosity in the administration of the Act to mitigate its effect?

Mr. Callaghan

It might be better if we take notice of the practical consequences of the Act instead of theorising about it. It has restored order into this situation. The number of vouchers issued is well within the quota laid down by Parliament. The number of those taken up is even more within that quota. The number who have arrived amount to no more than a handful. Should we not regard it as something to rejoice in, rather than condemn, that we have restored some order into the situation, and that people have had second thoughts about what had become a wild lemming-like rush?

Mr. Luard

Are not the figures in which my right hon. Friend takes such pride an indication that the Act was not necessary at all? May I press him on the point I made earlier to his hon. Friend? Will he now make some approach to the Governments of India and Pakistan to see whether some arrangement can be made by which the majority of these people in Kenya who wish to go to those countries are enabled to do so in return for some relaxation of our own restrictions?

Mr. Callaghan

I prefer not to comment on the discussions with India and other countries. I neither take pride in, nor am I ashamed of, these figures. It seems that we have achieved what we set out to do, namely, to introduce some order into the flow of immigrants into this country.

Mr. Hogg

As one of those who thought it right to support the right hon. Gentleman in the recent legislation, perhaps I might put a question to him. He set up a legal commission of some kind to go to East Africa. Can he give some indication, as a means of checking the pressure of immigration from that quarter, of how that commission is getting on, and what volume of work it has had to deal with?

Mr. Callaghan

I received representations from the two lawyers who kindly went out that there was not sufficient work for them because there were not sufficient appeals. One has returned home, and it seems as though the administration of the Act, as I expected, is being carried out in the fair and sensible way that the House would desire.