§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) in view of the fact that the admission of the boat refugees from Vietnam is almost certain to cause further stress and strain on the health, housing, education, employment and welfare services in the present stress areas with large numbers of immigrants, such as the London borough of Newham, whether he can give an assurance that no further costs or expenses will fall upon the local borough councils and their ratepayers when receiving these refugees;
(2) whether he will take whatever action may prove necessary to ensure that when the boat refugees from Vietnam arrive in areas with large immigrant populations such as the London borough of Newham, adversely affecting the local housing, employment, health, education and welfare services, no extra costs for the admission of such refugees will fall upon the local council's rates and that such costs are met from the national exchequer.
§ Mr. RaisonI have been asked to reply.
We are examining urgently the financial implications for local authorities with reception centres for Vietnamese refugees in their areas.