§ 7. Miss Lestorasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many work permits for aliens were issued for each of the years 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, and 1967; how many were for 12 months; how many were for less than 12 months; how many dependants have joined aliens working in this country for these years; and what categories of work are covered by these work permits.
§ Mr. FernyhoughAs the reply contains several sets of figures, I will, with permission, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Miss LestorWould not my hon. Friend agree that when the figures are published it will be clear that the number of white immigrants entering this country exceeds the number of coloured immigrants by two to one? Does he agree that this emphasis on coloured immigration completely distorts the facts? With his colleagues, will he see that when a review of immigration takes place numbers of white immigrants as well as numbers of coloured immigrants are included?
§ Mr. FernyhoughWhen my hon. Friend and other hon. Members read the figures they will accept that they put the immigration problem in proper perspective, because the number of foreign immigrants coming to this country is roughly 50,000 a year. It is true that just over half, probably half, come for less than 12 months, but this shows that immigrants to this country are not by any means all coloured immigrants.
§ Sir C. OsborneIn view of the continued rise of unemployment in our cities, about which the Under-Secretary's hon. Friends justly complain, ought not all immigration, whether white or coloured, be more steeply controlled?
§ Mr. FernyhoughI suggest that the hon. Member should get into touch with all the employers who ask for permits, because none of these people can come here unless some employer asks for a permit for them to come.
Following is the statement:
The numbers of work permits issued for the employment of aliens in the years 1963–67, inclusive, were 43,868, 47,638, 54,258, 54,837 and 50,303, respectively. Short-term permits issued for less than 12 months are not separately recorded, but the numbers of aliens with such permits actually admitted during the years in question were 17,803, 18,920, 20,991, 22,031 and 22,753. The numbers of dependants of foreign workers admitted in the same five years were 3,337, 4,098, 5,689, 6,434 and 5,647, respectively. Permits are restricted to work for which British labour is not available and embrace professional, scientific, skilled and semi-skilled workers in a wide field of industry, and commerce, hotel and domestic workers, nurses, student employees and entertainers.