§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS (VISCOUNT ADDISON)My Lords I have a statement which I hope your Lordships will allow me to make. Arrangements have recently been agreed with the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia for the assisted migration of suitable British subjects who desire to settle in Australia, and whom the Australian Government are willing to receive.
These arrangements, which will operate only so long as favourable conditions for settlement in Australia are known to exist, deal respectively with:
The announcement of these schemes, which will come into operation on a date to be agreed upon by the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Governments, does not imply that ships will now be freely available to take migrants to Australia. The existing shortage of passenger accommodation is likely to continue for some considerable time.
- (a) the grant of free passages to suitable British men and women who were resident in the British Isles or were in the United Kingdom Forces overseas on September 1, 1938, and have served in a whole-time capacity in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy of the United Kingdom during the period of the recent war, and their dependants;
- (b) a scheme under the authority of the Empire Settlement Acts of 1922 and 1937 for passage assistance to approved migrants and their dependants, who are normally resident in the United Kingdom and who do not come within the scope of the free passage scheme. Persons of 19 years of age and over will be required to contribute £10, and juveniles of 14 to 18 years of age £5, towards the cost of a passage, the remainder of the cost, including free passages for children under 14 years
1066 of age, being borne equally by the United Kingdom and Australian Governments. Applicants under these arrangements will have to be accepted by the Commonwealth authorities as medically fit and otherwise suitable for settlement in Australia. Men and women who were released from the Forces for work of civilian importance, including those released in Class B, may require the permission of the Ministry of Labour and National Service to leave their employment in the United Kingdom before they can be granted free passages under scheme (a). It will be open to the Ministry of Labour and National Service to withhold approval to the grant of assisted passages under scheme (b) in the case men and women possessing certain qualifications, who are in short supply here and urgently needed in the interests of the United Kingdom.
The Commonwealth Government will provide free transport from the port of disembarkation to the settler's destination in Australia, and accommodation for a limited period if necessary. They will arrange for co-operation with the appropriate authorities in Australia for the reception, placement and aftercare in Australia of the settlers approved under these schemes, who will also be eligible for certain social service benefits as from the date of arrival in Australia.
Settlers under these schemes will not normally obtain employment with individual employers until after their arrival in Australia but a settler will not receive a free passage unless there is a reasonable assurance that he will obtain employment on arrival. The settlers will have at their disposal the facilities of the Common wealth Employment Service but will not be eligible for the employment preference now granted for a period of seven years, to Australian ex-Service men, under the Commonwealth Act, No. II, of 1945.
1067 Until the date on which the schemes are opened, no applications can be received, but leaflets giving fuller particulars will be available at all local offices (including Resettlement Advice Offices) and Regional Appointments Offices of the Ministry of Labour and National Service of Great Britain. This Department will be responsible for administering the free passage scheme in detail jointly with the office of the High Commissioner for Australia, Australia House, Strand, W.C.2. The leaflets will also be available at local offices of the Ministry of Labour of Northern Ireland and similar information will be circulated by the Service Departments for the information of men and women still in the Forces.
The Dominions Office will remain responsible for all matters of policy relating to migration to the Dominions, including the negotiation of agreements with overseas Governments, and voluntary societies operating overseas.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, I am sure the whole House has heard with great satisfaction this fresh example of co-operation between the Australian Government and this country. I would like to ask the Secretary of State one question on it, namely, how long he thinks it will be before this scheme comes into operation.
§ VISCOUNT ADDISONMy Lords, I thank the noble Viscount for asking me that question. Owing to the shortage of shipping and other obvious difficulties, I do not think that it will be possible to bring the scheme into operation before, or much before, the end of the year.