HL Deb 18 July 1961 vol 233 cc512-3
THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they propose to take to prevent the agreement with Pakistan on immigrants from being circumvented by Pakistani nationals, who leave Pakistan—without complying with the terms of the agreement—by declaring themselves pilgrims to Mecca and who arrange with Pakistanis, already living in Britain, to book air tickets for them from airports in the Near East—outside Pakistan—onwards to London.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)

My Lords, no formal agreement exists. The controls on the movement of migrants from Pakistan to this country were imposed by the Pakistan Government, and any evasions are therefore entirely a matter for them. Where circumventions of these controls come to our notice we bring them to the attention of the Pakistan authorities.

THE EARL OF GOSFORD

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Duke for his reply, the last sentence of which has already, I am afraid, answered the supplementary question I intended to ask.

THE EARL OF ALBEMARLE

My Lords, in view of the great shortage of housing which was disclosed on the Second Reading of the Housing Bill last week, will Her Majesty's Government give preference to the comfort of the overcrowded 'ratepayers of this country; and will they now come to a decision to impose a temporary quota on migrants which, from India and Pakistan, number 6,000 in each case for the first five months of this year?

THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE

My Lords, with respect to my noble friend, I think I am justified in saying that that is an entirely different subject. I can, however, say that the matter of immigration is under consideration by Her Majesty's Government.