HL Deb 18 October 1972 vol 335 cc1812-4

2.38 p.m.

LORD AVEBURY

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 how many heads of household and how many people in total have obtained all the documents from the United Kingdom High Commission in Uganda which are required for entry into the United Kingdom as at the latest convenient date.

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

At close of business on Monday, October 16, a total of 23,574 entry certificates had been issued by our High Commission in Kampala to Asians in Uganda. This figure included 8,129 heads of household.

LORD AVEBURY

My Lords, may I ask the noble Marquess to say how many of these entry certificates have been awarded to people who do not intend to settle finally in this country but intend to go to Canada or some other part of the world? Is this not a very small figure compared with the estimates that were made before the crisis arose? Will the noble Marquess make sure that the maximum publicity is given to the figures he has just announced so that people in places like Leicester who have expressed anxiety over the effects of a large number of people coming here may be reassured?

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, I think I can tell the noble Lord that the numbers are certainly smaller than we had anticipated at the first stage of this operation. I do not wish in any way to deter the House from asking supplementary questions, or indeed from having them answered, but my noble friend Lord Colville of Culross will quite shortly be making a full Statement on the position of Uganda Asians and possibly noble Lords will feel that that will be the appropriate moment to discuss the matter.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, is the noble Marquess aware that it might help, in view of the Statement that is to be made, if he were to answer the supplementary asked by the noble Lord, Lord Avebury? Does this number of 23,000-odd include heads of families and families who may be going to India or any other country? Is it not a fact that they will not necessarily all be coming to this country?

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, it is true that this figure includes a number of people who are going to other countries but I will ask my noble friend to make absolutely certain of that.

LORD BROCKWAY

My Lords, would not the Minister agree that the effect of this number has been extraordinarily exaggerated? Is it not the case that it is only about half the number who would watch a football match between, for example, Arsenal and Manchester United?

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, it is a great deal more than watch some football matches, particularly in the third and fourth divisions.

LORD AVEBURY

My Lords, bearing in mind what the noble Lord has just said about the Statement that is to come later on, I am not absolutely sure whether it will deal with the position of Uganda residents who have arrived here, en famille, some holding British passports and some holding Ugandan passports. As the noble Viscount, Lord Colville of Culross, will be aware, there have been a number of instances of this in the past few weeks. I should like to be quite certain the matter will be dealt with in the Statement, otherwise, I should like to ask what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government when members of a family arrive simultaneously, one half of them being British citizens and the other half being either citizens of Uganda or citizens of some third country?

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

My Lords, I understand that my noble friend is prepared to answer supplementaries on these matters.