§ Mr. Parkinsonasked the Home Secretary the number of enemy aliens living in Great Britain, stating their nationality separately, how many have appeared before the tribunals; how many satisfied the tribunals; and how many have been interned?
§ Sir J. AndersonThe number of Germans and Austrians in this country varies from time to time, but the latest available statistics show that the number of Germans registered with the police is 62,244 and of Austrians 11,989. The tribunals have dealt with 73,353 persons, of whom 569 were interned, 6,782 were exempted from internment but not from the special restrictions applicable to enemy aliens, and 64,244 were exempted both from internment and from the special restrictions. Of the persons dealt with by the tribunals no less than 55,457 are known to be refugees from Nazi oppression.
§ Mr. Parkinsonasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the fact that there are about 250 German servant girls employed in and around Aldershot; and whether as these girls are a danger to the country, he will consider making a radius around all military and air stations within which enemy aliens shall not be allowed to enter?
§ Sir J. AndersonI think it is a mistake to assume that every German domestic servant is a menace to the security of this country; and, in my view, there would be no justification for a policy under which all aliens of German and Austrian nationality were treated alike, without regard to the fact that the majority of them are refugees from Nazi oppression and are bitterly opposed to the present regime in Germany. Each case must be considered on its merits, and, as the hon. Member is aware, the case of every German and Austrian resident in this country has already been reviewed 2411W by a tribunal appointed by me for this purpose, and the Regional Advisory Committees, which I am about to set up, will shortly undertake a further review of certain categories of Germans and Austrians who have not been interned.
In addition, I am causing further special inquiries to be made about the position of Germans and Austrians employed in or around Aldershot. I have ascertained that neither the Chief Constable of Surrey nor the Chief Constable of Hampshire feels any anxiety about the presence of these foreigners in his police district. As regards the suggestion that a ring should be drawn around all military and air stations within which no enemy alien, regardless of his disposition towards the British cause, should be allowed to enter, I would remind the hon. Member that the expansion of the armed forces and of the munitions industry is on such a scale that there are few areas in this country which do not include important service establishments or munitions factories, and accordingly I do not think that this suggestion is a practical proposition or that it would commend itself to public opinion.
§ Mr. R. C. Morrisonasked the Home Secretary what are the conditions under which refugees from enemy countries are allowed to be employed in England; and what steps are taken to ensure that the conditions of employment are adhered to by the employer?
§ Sir J. AndersonAs regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave in answer to a question by the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. D. Grenfell) on 23rd November last, of which I am sending him a copy. As regards the second part of the question appropriate action would be taken in any case where it were found, through inquiries made by the police or otherwise, that an alien was in irregular employment.