HC Deb 01 December 1922 vol 159 c1065W
Mr. COOPER RAWSON

asked the Home Secretary how many former alien enemies have been allowed to remain in this country for over three months during the present year; and will the Government, before the 23rd December, 1922, impose such statutory and/or other necessary provisions to prevent such number being augmented and the problem of unemployment being thereby adversely affected?

Mr. BRIDGEMAN

The figures asked for in the first part of this question cannot be given. They could only be obtained by a detailed examination of the individual files, and the results would not warrant the expenditure of time and labour involved; but the movement of former enemy aliens into and out of this country can be followed from the quarterly returns presented to Parliament. The numbers entering and leaving the country during the first three quarters of this year were: March quarter, 2,627 entered, 2,353 left; June quarter, 3,345 entered, 3,067 left; September quarter, 3,994 entered, 4,089 left. The numbers for October were: 916 entered, 1,004 left. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer to the reply which I gave on the 27th ultimo to a question by the hon. and learned Member for the Ealing Division.