§ Mr. OLIVERasked the Home Secretary whether he can state the number of German nationals permitted to enter this country to reside here and to take up employment, respectively, since 1st January, 1933; what is the normal period of such permission; how many of this number may be described as political refugees; in how many cases has such permission been revoked or extended, and upon what principles are such revocations and extensions made; and whether he will give the same information with regard to aliens other than German nationals?
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§ Sir J. SIMONStatistics in the form asked for are not available. For the three years ended the 31st December, 1935, the total number of German passengers comprising for the most part business and holiday visitors who were admitted at ports in the United Kingdom for visits of varying length was 166,615 and the number who embarked was 160,521, leaving an excess for this period of 6,094 arrivals over departures. Out of the figure 166,615 the number of persons (including their dependents) who were admitted under Ministry of Labour permits was 11,436: a large proportion of the permits issued being for work of a temporary character involving only a short stay on the part of the foreigner. Applications to the Home Office by foreign visitors made after arrival for permission to prolong their stay for business, educational or other purposes are dealt with in accordance with the circumstances and needs of each case and there is no general rule as to the length of stay which may be granted. Permission to remain is not granted if there is good reason to suppose that the person is engaged in undesirable activities, is liable to become a public charge or is seeking employment or work for which there is an adequate supply of suitable British labour.
It is not possible to classify the applications, which are of great variety, or to give particulars of applications granted or refused, but where it appears that an applicant has left or is unwilling to return to Germany for political, racial or economic reasons, a special record is kept of applications which are granted. The number of persons falling within this classification who have permission to remain here for periods of varying duration is, approximately, 3,800. This figure includes a considerable number of students and persons staying with friends or relatives, also research workers, persons of professional standing and persons permitted to engage in business. In 269 of these cases the condition limiting their stay has been removed.
As regards aliens of other nationality, particulars of the number who have landed and embarked at ports in the United Kingdom and the numbers (including dependents) admitted under Ministry of Labour permits, are included in the statistics relating to alien passen- 1434W gers which are annually published and presented to Parliament.