§ Wing-Commander Jamesasked the Home Secretary the number of aliens who entered the United Kingdom from the Continent of Europe, and who have not. since left, in each of the years between 1932 and 1940, inclusive; and how many of them were classified as refugees from Nazi oppression?
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§ Mr. H. MorrisonIn the pre-war years the number of aliens coming into and going out of the United Kingdom on visits lasting a few days or a few weeks was very large and it is impracticable to sort out from these figures statistical information as to the numbers who having arrived in any particular year are still here. Each year, however, figures are compiled of the aliens registered with the police, and by a comparison of these annual figures information is obtainable as to increases and decreases in the alien population. Some aliens coming from small European states such as Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, Monaco, etc., are included for statistical purposes in a miscellaneous group which also contains aliens from non-European countries. Excluding this small number, the figures of registered aliens who are nationals of European states are as follow:—
1932 … … 186,891 1933 … … 146,022 1934 … … 147,571 1935 … … 145,700 1936 … … 161,941 1937 … … 168,655 1938 … … 171,195 1939 … … 211,053 1940 … … 202,559 1941 … … 231,001 In 1933 British-born women married to aliens were exempted from registration, and this change accounts for the substantial decrease in the figure for 1933. Since the outbreak of war these British-born women have been required to register, but not all of those married to aliens of non-enemy nationality had registered at the time when the figure for 1941 was compiled, and in comparing the figure for 1941 with the figure for 1932 allowance must be made for this factor.
The number of Germans and Austrians who were at the beginning of the war classified by tribunals as refugees from Nazi oppression, was approximately 55,000. In addition there are Czech refugees, and war refugees including Belgians, Poles and Norwegians who have arrived here since May, 1940. There has also been an increase since the war in the number of foreign seamen who are registered in our ports.
The fact that despite these recent additions the figure for 1941 exceeds the figure for 1932 by 44,110 only, is due mainly to 1712W the decreases (caused by deaths as well as departures from the country) in the number of aliens who were here in the earlier years.
In addition to the aliens registered with the police there are the many aliens serving in the Armed Forces of our Allies and of this country who are not required to register.