§ 3.18 p.m.
§ Lord BARNBYMy 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 state—
- (a) the total immigration for permanent residence from all origins for the last four six-months' periods;
- (b) the proportion of this total representing "European" stock;
- (c) the proportion of this total comprising "dependants".
§ MINISTER of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Harris of Greenwich)The total numbers of Commonwealth citizens and foreign nationals accepted for settlement on arrival or by revocation of conditions in the four six-monthly periods commencing with April 1973 and ending with March 1975, the latest date to which figures are available, were, respectively: 28,436; 26,277; 34,652; and 39,796. Records are not kept of the ethnic origins of immigrants. The propotions of the total numbers who were dependants were, respectively: 59 per cent.; 58 per cent.; 47 per cent.; and 46 per cent.
§ Lord BARNBYMy Lords, arising out of that reply, which gives much information and which will require a little study to remember the figures, may I ask whether the noble Lord is aware that it would appear that the tendency is definitely upwards and that the proportions also give that indication, and could I ask the Minister to reply to the third part of the Question?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, the noble Lord is quite right in saying that there is an increase. Clearly, there has been. The figures show this. There are a number of reasons. There has been an increase in the quota of United Kingdom passport-holders admitted from East Africa; there has been an increase in the entry clearances to dependants from the Indian sub-Continent, and there has also been an increase resulting from allowing husbands to join wives settled here—a decision which was warmly welcomed in this House.
§ Lord BARNBYMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. That raises a different supplementary question on the matter. But in view of the widespread concern about this, surely under the existing economic conditions it would have been helpful had he been able to announce some revision of the programme with regard to immigration, because the arrangement whereby the—
§ Lord BARNBYThe real position has therefore been masked. Under present conditions cannot the noble Lord give some hope that this concern may be alleviated and the fear of a further inflow 1177 from different quarters of possibly rightful claims for entrance—
§ Lord BARNBY—can be minimised or reduced from what it appears to be at present?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHNo, my Lords; I am afraid that I cannot give any indication that there will be a change of policy in this matter. The present Government, like their predecessors, accept that they have a number of clear responsibilities; first, for United Kingdom passport-holders in East Africa, and, secondly, for dependants. I think that it would be quite wrong to deny these people entry to this country.
§ Earl COWLEYMy Lords, can the noble Lord say whether there has been any alteration in the procedure for examining applications from dependants in the Indian sub-Continent?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHYes, my Lords; following the visit of my noble friend the Minister of State at the Home Office there has been some change in the procedure, and we hope to cut down the waiting period which has affected dependants from the Indian sub-Continent.
Viscount ST. DAVIDSMy Lords, to help us get some balance in this matter, can the noble Lord say how the emigration figures compare with this figure for immigrants?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, if the noble Lord would like any further statistical information, it would be helpful if he could put down a Question and I shall do my best to answer it.
§ Lord BARNBYMy Lords, I do not want to press the Minister unduly, but does it not seem that under present conditions, with such high unemployment and the economic difficulties with regard to hospitals, there is now a call for revision of the programme which may have been compassionately allowed some time ago?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHNo, my Lords; I am well aware of the noble Lord's position in this matter, but for the reasons I have indicated there will 1178 not be any change in Government policy in this matter.