§ 27. Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the increased entry of East African Asians, and the shortage of jobs and accommodation, he will take steps to announce a date for the general suspension of immigrants for settlement.
§ Mr. MaudlingNo, Sir.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonAs an opponent of capital punishment, may I point out with apologies that the word "immigrants" in the Question should be "immigration".
Is my right hon. Friend not aware that it would be of the greatest psychological value to community relations if he could make a statement of the kind indicated in the Question?
§ Mr. MaudlingI made a carefully thought out statement about this problem which involved a simultaneous increase in the permits to United Kingdom passport holders in East Africa and at the same time a substantial reduction in the quota available to unskilled people from the right balance, and public opinion has largely accepted that it has succeeded.
§ Mr. BidwellWould the right hon. Gentleman agree that there is a special obligation on this country in regard to stateless people, and that among them are people of very high educational level? Would he see to it that no impediment is placed in their way in finding their way to middle-class areas like Chigwell?
§ Mr. MaudlingI do not quite see that the question of stateless persons comes into this question.
§ Mr. Biggs-DavisonIs my right hon. Friend aware that the question of the hon. Member for Southall (Mr. Bidwell) is a red herring? I am not disputing my right hon. Friend's decision on East African Asians; I am asking him to say that the time has now come to receive no more immigrants for permanent settlement.
§ Mr. MaudlingI do not think that is right. A total ban on immigration for permanent settlement is wrong. We have announced what we are doing about the reduction of certain forms of immigration. But my hon. Friend must recognise that his Question placed this proposal of a general suspension firmly in the context of East African Asians.