HL Deb 18 July 1963 vol 252 cc298-300

3.6 p.m.

LORD WALSTON

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 whether they will consider extending to the West Indies and other Commonwealth countries affected by the Commonwealth Immigration Act the offer of help in finding employment in the United Kingdom made to Malta by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations in a recent speech there.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS OFFICE (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)

My Lords, it is for other Commonwealth Governments to decide in the first place what arrangements they wish to make. We should not object to any Commonwealth country wanting to set up an agency to assist their citizens to find employment. If, as was done by the Malta Government, we were asked to find someone from here to help to run it instead of one of their own people, we should do what we could to meet the request.

LORD WALSTON

My Lords, is the noble Duke aware that the statement by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, speaking in Malta as Secretary of State for the Colonies, in which he said that there were many vacant jobs in the South of England and that these could well be filled by Maltese, coming on top of the Commonwealth Immigration Act has had a most unfortunate effect on the feelings of other members of the Commonwealth who are particularly affected by this Act, and especially those from the West Indies, where emigration to this country has been severely curtailed?

THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE

My Lords, I cannot say that I am aware of the results of my right honourable friend's statement; but I would point out to the noble Lord that under that Act there are three different categories of emigrants, categories A, B, and C, and it is for countries in the Commonwealth to exploit the different possibilities under these three different categories.

LORD WALSTON

My Lords, will the noble Duke ask his right honourable friend to do all in his power to make it clear to other members of the Commonwealth—and, as I say, in particular to those affected by the Commonwealth Immigration Act—that there is no question here of encouraging Maltese to come to this country, much as we should like to see them, while at the same time we are attempting to keep out other members of the Commonwealth?

THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE

My Lords, I will most certainly draw my right honourable friend's attention to what the noble Lord has said; and I should like to take this opportunity of saying that there is absolutely no intention of showing any discrimination in favour of Maltese citizens against the rest of the Commonwealth.

LORD OGMORE

My Lords, may I ask the noble Duke whether, when he looks into this question of immigration of Commonwealth citizens, he will also look into the question of protecting those who are here, in view of the dreadful news we have had about their exploitation in Paddington and other parts of London?

THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE

My Lords, I think it would be fair to say that that is a totally different question.

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH

My Lords, if that cannot be dealt with in relation to the original Question, may I ask what is going to be done about the general immigration policy in relation to providing proper housing accommodation?

THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE

My Lords, I say with all respect to the noble Earl that that is a different matter. I have no doubt that if the noble Earl wishes to put down a Question on it he will receive an answer in due course.

LORD OGMORE

My Lords, may I ask whether it is in fact a different question, because it is owing to the large numbers of immigrants coming in and their need for housing that these people are able to exploit them? Surely, it is all bound up with the same question?

VISCOUNT STUART OF FINDHORN

My Lords, is it not the case that the present Government have built a great many more houses than the previous Socialist Government, and that they intend to build still more?

LORD OGMORE

Would the noble Duke say how many houses they have built in Paddington?

THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE

My Lords, I should like to think that I was omniscient, but I really think that without notice I cannot be expected to answer questions directed to a totally different Ministry. I would only say—and I am not trying to evade the question—that if the noble Lord would look at the terms of the Question on the Order Paper he will see that he is stretching it quite beyond reasonable Parliamentary latitude.