§ LORD BROCKWAYMy 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 use their influence to amend the law in Fiji which does not allow a Fijian woman to reside in the colony with her husband if he was not a resident in Fiji previous to marriage.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (LORD SHEPHERD)My Lords, this is a matter for the judgment of the Government of Fiji, who have considered it carefully in the light of local circumstances. Unrestricted residence of non-Fiji husbands, who would normally be the family breadwinners, would add to the number of persons seeking employment in Fiji. The Fiji Government are concerned about the lack of employment opportunities available in the country. Individual cases of hardship are considered when the circumstances are made known.
§ LORD BROCKWAYMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that Answer, may I ask whether it is not the case that Fiji is not yet an independent country and therefore Her Majesty's Government have a certain amount of responsibility? Is it not the case that a woman in Fiji who marries a husband from abroad is not allowed to live with him in Fiji, while a man who marries a woman from abroad is allowed to live with his wife? Is not this a disgraceful example of sex discrimination?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the noble Lord is right in saying that Fiji is not yet independent and Her Majesty's Government have a responsibility there. On the other hand, Fiji has an advanced state of internal government and therefore in matters like this we must take note of the views of that Government. I would not myself have said that this is sex discrimination. It is not dissimilar to the situation which exists in this country, where an English woman who marries an alien does not necessarily give to the alien husband an undoubted right of entry into this country to take up employment.