HC Deb 07 August 1972 vol 842 cc1260-5
Mr. Richard (by Private Notice)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on recent events in Uganda in relation to holders of United Kingdom passports.

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Sir Alec Douglas-Home)

In a speech to troops on the 4th of August, President Amin is reported to have said that he will ask the British Government to take over responsibility for all Asians in Uganda who are holding British passports, because they are sabotaging the economy of the country.

Our High Commissioner in Uganda has asked to see the President to establish the reason for his statement and to obtain an indication of Ugandan intentions. I now understand that he will see the President on 9th August. We have had no official communication from the Uganda Government. I am in touch with other East African Governments concerned.

Mr. Richard

It is, of course, to be hoped that the meeting on 9th August will clarify the position, but will the Foreign Secretary recognise that the action of the Uganda Government is quite extraordinary, precipitate and irresponsible, if the result of it will be the expulsion of what I think have come to be called British Asians from Uganda within a period of three months? The United Kingdom has a special responsibility for these people since many of them altered their position upon the word of successive British Governments and such difficulties as they now face, whatever else should be said about them, are certainly not of their making.

As a result of this is there perhaps not a special obligation on our part to treat them humanely and sympathetically in the difficulties that have now arisen? Will the Foreign Secretary consider whether there is not a case for having initiative now, in the event that, unhappily the reports over the weekend about the Uganda Government's position proved to be accurate, to call a conference of East African nations concerned in the problem, together with the United Kingdom and India so that the problem may yet be resolved?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I am obliged to the hon. and learned Member for his question. He will understand that I cannot make newspaper reports a basis for an answer from this Box. I must wait for President Amin's considered statement. If this action was to be taken, it would be highly irresponsible. We accept a special obligation forthese people who are British passport holders but I would emphasise that there is no other way of dealing with the problem humanely than by the kind of scheme we have, providing an orderly quota arrangement over the years. I can think of no other way. I would consider any necessary meetings on this subject—a conference if need be. It is a little early to be specific about a conference.

Sir D. Renton

These Asians have been well settled in East Africa for a number of generations. Very few of them have ever been to Britain and if they came there would be difficulties in finding homes and jobs for them and in providing educational facilities for their children. Will the Foreign Secretary use his diplomatic skill to save General Amin from a later accusation of blatant racialism?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Yes, these Asians have made Uganda their home. It was precisely for these social reasons stated by my right hon. and learned Friend that we arranged the quota system, which is pretty generous. It provides for 3,500 passport holders each year with a special arrangement for 1,500 to cover those particularly in need. It is therefore a good arrangement. We shall certainly use all the diplomatic arts to try to get General Amin to alter his mind, supposing he meant what he said.

Mr. Bottomley

These Asians are British citizens and we have a responsibility for them. Did the Foreign Secretary see that the Uganda Foreign Minister is recorded as having said that some might be welcome in Australia and Canada, and has he considered that matter?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I should have thought it was for the Australian and Canadian Governments to say on a matter such as that. I have already said that we accept responsibility for those people who are British passport holders, but we must insist that the matter is dealt with in an orderly way.

Sir D. Walker-Smith

Will my right hon. Friend say whether General Amin has produced any evidence of what, on the face of it, is an astonishing assertion that these Uganda Asians are in the mass sabotaging the economy of Uganda? Is it not much more probable that they are making a very real contribution to it, and if they are forcibly expelled as a result of any racialist act will not that make Uganda a much less attractive area for international investment and in other ways in the eyes of the world?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Yes, and it the ban is to be proceeded with we, among other countries, would have to review the whole of our economic arrangements with Uganda. Of course, as my right hon. and learned Friend has said, it is the usual experience that Asian communities in Africa bring a lot of business to the country concerned.

Mr. Clinton Davis

I recognise the difficulties that clearly confront the Government and the loathsome racialist nature of President Amin's speech. Is the Foreign Secretary aware that the House will support to the full his recognition of the assurances that were given by successive Governments that we will not renege on assurances we have given to these unfortunate people? Will he also consider an increase in the number of quota vouchers that will be made available—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."]—if these people are faced with the consequences of this evil action?

Will the Foreign Secretary recognise that if he listens to some of his hon. Friends the Government and, indeed, this country might be charged with responsibility for the same sort of situation that occurred before the war when a number of Jewish people might have escaped their eventual plight if the Western countries had responded more quickly to their difficulties?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I have already said that we accept an obligation for these people. This country can in no way be accused of doing other than giving the most generous treatment to these unfortunate people. It is for us and for the other East African countries concerned, and for India if she will, to convince General Amin that this treatment is inhumane and that he must continue the plan we already have or some variant of it.

Mr. Ronald Bell

Will the Foreign Secretary be very wary of the risk of an absurd demand leading to a less absurd compromise and will he ensure in any negotiations that this outburst does not result in any more Indians from this source coming here as immigrants than otherwise would have come? Will he confirm that many if not most of these people were born in India—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."]—and that now they have the same kind of citizenship as they had when they were made subject to the control of the 1962 Act.

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

I would hope today that all sides of the House would conspire not to create any panic amongst these people in Africa or they might well decide to come here in great numbers before we have had a chance to exercise diplomatic pressures on General Amin.

Mr. David Steel

I welcome the Foreign Secretary's reaffirmation of our ultimate responsibility for those who are our citizens. Will he confirm that there are two groups of Asians in Uganda—those who are Uganda citizens and those who are United Kingdom citizens? Will he give figures for the two groups? Is not a fairer analogy the patrial and the non-patrial status of people in this country, and just as it is unthinkable that we should require non-patrials to leave Britain within three months, it is unthinkable to allow another country to treat them in that way?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

There are some 57,000 British citizens in Uganda.

Mr. Hunt

Is it not a fact that a substantial proportion of the Ugandan Asians have already expressed a preference to go to India rather than to come to this country? Does not this underline the importance of the round-table conference, which has already been proposed, and might not that conference also give an opportunity to point out to General Amin the moderate and responsible way in which his neighbours in Kenya have been handling an identical problem in recent times?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Yes, that is why I am in touch with the East African Governments, who have a considerable interest in seeing that this matter is handled in an orderly way. As for the proportion who wish to go to India; I think that I will not get involved in that today: it is a matter of whether the Indian Government will agree to take them.

Mr. Judd

Would the right hon. Gentleman make it absolutely plain that if the reports of General Amin's speech are accurate, no hon. Member in any part of the House would be prepared to condone what is the most obscene racialism imaginable? Would he further appreciate that hon. Members in all parts of the House recognise that we have special responsibilities to these British citizens? Would he take the first opportunity to consult the Commonwealth as a whole on a possible sane solution to this problem and also take the earliest opportunity to make a full and reassuring statement to the House about the specific ways in which we intend to protect the lives, interests and property of these British citizens?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

If this act is carried out, it will be nothing other than a racial action to be condemned. I am certainly willing to make a statement to the House. The hon. Gentleman will appreciate that I will not get a report from the High Commissioner until after the House has risen, but of course I will make a full statement to the House at the earliest possible moment. Whether it will be satisfactory rests elsewhere.

Mr. Deedes

Notwithstanding the latter part of his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley (Mr. Hunt), does not my right hon. Friend accept that the attitude of the Government of India to this point has not been uncooperative and that it is important that it should remain that way? What action are we taking in that direction?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Yes, Sir. We are in touch with the Government of India about this matter. I have no doubt that the interests of the Government of India are exactly the same as our own—that the matter should be handled in an orderly way.

Mr. George Cunningham

Does not this show how unwise the Prime Minister was to welcome the replacement of Milton Obote by a military dictator capable of doing this kind of thing? Although the situation is wholly the result of the work of the right hon. Gentleman and his right hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Mr. Sandys), would he acknowledge that the numbers involved are relatively small in relation to the capacity of this country, and would he recognise our responsibility by enlarging our intake?

Sir Alec Douglas-Home

Neither the Prime Minister nor anybody else approves or disapproves of a country's choice of Prime Minister or President—we should get into very deep water if we did.

The numbers are comparatively small, but with the size of our immigration programme, this would be a formidable number to take on and it would create the social conditions that some of my hon. Friends described earlier.