§ Q8. Sir C. Osborneasked the Prime Minister whom he appointed to represent Great Britain at the Economic Commission on Asia and Far East, now sitting in Delhi, and with what instructions; since Asia's population is expected to increase from 1,700 million to 2,600 million in the next 20 years, and thereafter double every 40 years, what new steps he is taking to control future immigration from Pakistan and India; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterI assume my hon. Friend is referring to the Asian Population Conference now being held in Delhi under the auspices of the Economic Commission on Asia and Far East. The Conference is a regional one and only those member countries situated in the area covered by the Economic Commission on Asia and Far East have been invited to send delegations. As a192W non-regional member of the Economic Commission on Asia and Far East we, in common with the other non-regional members, were invited to send only an observer and this we have done. He is Mr. T. E. Smith of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, a demographer and one time fellow of Nuffield College. As he is only an observer, the question of instructions does not arise.
As regards the latter part of the Question, the Commonwealth Immigrants Act already gives powers to limit the number of immigrants from India and Pakistan.