§ 2.54 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT DILHORNEMy 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 the number of intending Commonwealth immigrants who have been refused admission to Great Britain since February 4, 1965, and the number of Commonwealth immigrants who have been admitted to Great Britain since that date.]
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (LORD STONHAM)My Lords, during February, 129 Commonwealth citizens were refused admission under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962, and 16,726 were admitted. It would not be possible, without undue labour, to discover what proportion of these figures relate to the period after February 4.
§ VISCOUNT DILHORNEMy Lords, I should just like to express my thanks to the noble Lord for that information, which is what I was seeking to obtain.
§ VISCOUNT ADDISONMy Lords, can the Minister give us any break-down of the figure of 16,000?
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, the break-down of the figures for February will not be available until next week, but the figures for January, which I think will give a general pattern, are as follows. In January, there were 22,729 Commonwealth citizens who entered the United Kingdom, 10,097 from Australia, Canada and New Zealand, 7,207 from the West Indies, India and Pakistan, and 5,425 from the remaining Commonwealth countries. Out of the overall total, approximately 70 per cent. were returning residents and short-stay visitors. Only 990, or 4¼ per cent., were voucher holders, 11¼ per cent. were dependants, and 14½ per cent. were students and long-stay visitors.
§ VISCOUNT ADDISONI am obliged to the Minister for that information.