HC Deb 21 January 1971 vol 809 cc1252-3
9. Mr. Lane

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of Asians in East Africa likely to immigrate into the United Kingdom during 1971.

Mr. Maudling

The present rate of entry is about 6,000 a year.

Mr. Lane

Does my right hon. Friend agree that there is an urgent need on humanity and other grounds for an increase in the number of permits granted to United Kingdom citizens from East Africa, even if that has to be associated with a further reduction in the level of immigration from other Commonwealth countries?

Mr. Maudling

I am very much aware of the importance of the problem and the difficulty that it presents to this country. I cannot make any further statement today.

Mr. Gurden

Does my right hon. Friend recognise that immigrants tend to crowd into a few densely populated areas? Will he take that into account when he comes to decide how many more to allow into the country?

Mr. Maudling

Yes, Sir, certainly. The problems here are the very great problem of community relations and our obligations to United Kingdom citizens in East Africa.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

I apologise, first, for the absence of my right hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan). I think that he has already indicated the reason. Would not it be possible to alleviate the difficulty by looking at the distribution of employment vouchers to Commonwealth citizens? East African Asians, who have been entitled to them from the beginning, find that the present allocation does not meet their needs. May I remind the right hon. Gentleman that it would be possible to do this without increasing the overall number of employment vouchers available for people to come here?

Mr. Maudling

I am happy to consider any suggestion for dealing with this difficult problem. I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman.

Earl of Dalkeith

May we have an indication of the number of Asians in East Africa who would like to come here and so escape from policies of racial discrimination which we would find unacceptable and intolerable?

Mr. Maudling

I cannot give any meaningful numbers of those involved, whether they would like to come here or to go to India. Any figures would be pure speculation.