§ 2.40 p.m.
§ LORD CLIFFORD OF CHUDLEIGHMy 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 why they have permitted half a million people from a non-Commonwealth country to enter the United Kingdom in the past ten years yet continue to impose the present restrictions on Australian and New Zealand visitors.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (BARONESS SEROTA)My Lords, I think that the noble Lord is referring in the first part of his Question to entry from the Republic of Ireland. There is no control on the entry of Irish citizens from within the common travel area. Control on Commonwealth immigration is applied without discrimination to the citizens of Commonwealth countries, but no bona fide visitor need expect to encounter difficulty on arrival.
§ LORD CLIFFORD OF CHUDLEIGHMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for that reply may I ask two supplementary questions? Are there not many countries with common frontiers that operate immigration laws, and do not the large numbers of Irish involved make a nonsense of our present immigration laws? Secondly, are the Government not aware of the damaging consequences of the abrupt cancellation of the traditional right of access of Australians and New Zealanders to what they used to consider their mother country?
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, noble Lords will be aware of the discussions 428 that took place at considerable length in both Houses on this question of control over land frontiers in relation to the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962. This admittedly presents very difficult problems; and Parliament came to certain decisions. On the second point, I would assure the noble Lord that visitors from the Commonwealth are admitted freely; and normally for periods of six months in the first instance. If he has any examples that he would like to send me of difficulties encountered I shall be happy to go into them with my right honourable friend.
§ THE EARL OF BUCKINGHAMSHIREMy Lords, may I ask the noble Baroness this question? Is she aware that nations such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand, founded and settled by our forbears, are rising Powers and that in the world of to-morrow they will be richer and more influential than most of our neighbours across the Channel?
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, I am not sure how that point falls within the scope of the Question put by the noble Lord, Lord Clifford of Chudleigh, and perhaps I should be treading on other people's ground if I were to comment on it.