HC Deb 20 May 1965 vol 712 cc253-5W
8. Mr. Longden

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to empower the immigration officers who are to be appointed to assist staffs overseas in dealing with applications for entry certificates, to make a health check of an immigrant in his country of origin, and to refuse certificates on any of the grounds upon which admission into the United Kingdom may be refused under the terms of section 2 of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962.

Sir F. Soskice

Section 2 of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962, gives immigration officers power to refuse Commonwealth citizens admission to the United Kingdom on various grounds, including medical grounds. Entry certificate officers are already instructed to bear this in mind, when considering applications for entry certificates, and applicants are informed that grant of an entry certificate will not exempt them from refusal on medical grounds. We have not hitherto thought it right to insist on a health check before granting an entry certificate, but the feasibility of health checks in the country of origin is among the questions being explored by the mission under the leadership of Lord Mountbatten which is at present discussing with a number of Commonwealth Governments means of regulating the flow of Commonwealth immigrants to this country.

41. Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now completed his review of immigration arrangements; and whether he will make a further statement.

Sir F. Soskice

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave on 6th May to Questions by the hon. Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne).

42. Mr. Gurden

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he has made in his instructions to immigration officers, in view of Her Majesty's Government's policy on the need for restriction of entry.

Sir F. Soskice

On 4th February I informed the House of new instructions I was giving to immigration officers in order to check evasion of the control over Commonwealth immigration. I have no further changes to announce at present.

54. Mr. Thorneycroft

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the net immigration figures in the first three months of 1965; and whether he will now issue instructions for a large curtailment in the issue of A and B vouchers.

Sir F. Soskice

The net balance of immigration for the first three months of 1965 from Canada, Australia and New Zealand was 5,765 and from the other Commonwealth territories 13,518. The corresponding figures for 1964 were 4,137 and 12,345. The Government have postponed further consideration of the voucher scheme until after we have the report of the mission, under the leadership of Lord Mountbatten, that is discussing with a number of Commonwealth Governments means of regulating the flow of Commonwealth immigrants to this country.

71. Sir D. Renton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the figures for the net increase of Commonwealth immigrants from Asia, Africa and the West Indies in the first four months of this year; what have been the results of his attempts to prevent evasion of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act; and whether he will make a statement.

Sir F. Soskice

In the first four months of this year the total net inward balance of immigration for Commonwealth territories other than Canada, Australia, New Zealand and those in the Mediterranean was 18,898. The corresponding figure for 1964 was 17,401. As to the rest of the Question, I would refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer I gave on 13th May to a Question by the hon. Member for Louth (Sir C. Osborne).