Mr. C. WILSONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether there is any information available to show the number of British subjects who are not permanent residents of other parts of the Empire but who live abroad, and who have during the last 10 years applied for or received protection as British nationals whilst contributing nothing directly to the revenues of this country?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONReturns of British subjects who have registered at His Majesty's consulates abroad are made annually by His Majesty's consular officers, but it would be difficult to frame any estimate of the number of those who might be regarded as permanently resident abroad, more especially as registration is not compulsory except in countries where His Majesty exercises ex-territorial jurisdiction.