§ Major Petherickasked the Home Secretary in respect of the 73 diamond workers recently fined at Bow Street for taking part in an illegal strike, what was the average wage of the persons concerned; how many were aliens; how many were enemy aliens; and whether it is intended to deport any of them after the war?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonThe number of workers recently convicted at Bow Street was 85, of whom 81 were fined and four discharged under the Probation of Offenders Act. Sixty-six were aliens, of whom four were of enemy and the remainder of allied nationality. These alien diamond workers are all or practically all war refugees who came here from the Low Countries after the German invasion of May, 1940, and they have since been carrying on their employment in London. They were admitted subject to conditions under which they can be required, at the proper time, to leave this country. No question of deportation arises in present circumstances. Information which is available as regards 72 of the persons convicted shows that their average earnings were about £15 a week.