HL Deb 21 July 1964 vol 260 cc536-7

2.39 p.m.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Barnby, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in his name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government—

  1. (a) the total expenditure in regard to the construction of New Towns falling direct on to the Treasury in the past financial year;
  2. (b) whether it does not appear that some relief to such, however small, might be achieved by publicity expenditure by Her Majesty's Government in dissemination of information in the United Kingdom as to the opportunities offering for a promising new life in the under-populated Dominions overseas.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS AND FOR THE COLONIES (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)

My Lords, in 1963–64 the Exchequer provided £4.2 million in grants to development corporations and the Commission for the New Towns, and £29.3 million by way of repayable advances. The dissemination of information about conditions in other Commonwealth countries which wish to attract migrants from Britain is a matter for those countries, and I understand that they do make a considerable effort to publicise conditions in their countries. Judging by the steady increase over the last few years in the flow of migrants to settle elsewhere in the Commonwealth, these efforts are meeting with considerable success.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend, I thank the noble Duke for the Answer he has given. May I ask him wheher he believes that to carry out the programme referred to in the second part of his Answer would be of any benefit to New Towns that we are trying to build here in England?

THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE

My Lords, I must confess that I find this question slightly difficult to understand. I can see that there might be some correlation between emigration and population in this country, but it seems to me that New Towns and emigration policies are totally different. We must have New Towns, and we are able to welcome those of our citizens who see fit to go and settle in other Commonwealth countries. We believe in this, as we have repeatedly said; and, as I have said, the steadily expanding figures of immigrants in other Commonwealth countries is an indication of the success that emigration is having. But I do not think we can relate the programme for New Towns with our policy for emigration.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply.