HC Deb 21 November 1946 vol 430 cc141-3W
25. Mr. Haire

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many certificates of naturalisation were granted by his Department during the past six months other than to former British nationals; and to what nationalities.

Mr. Ede

Two thousand one hundred and sixty-eight, Sir. The list of nationalities is as follows:

Certificates of Naturalisation granted (other than to former British nationals) during the six months ended 31st October, 1946.
German … … 1,114
Austrian … … 363
Italian … … 104
Czecho-Slovak … … 103
Russian … … 85
No Nationality … … 70
Hungarian … … 61
French … … 50
Polish … … 39
American … … 38
Roumanian … … 21
Dutch … … 18
Uncertain Nationality … … 18
Belgian … … 14
Spanish … … 8
Danish … … 6
Danziger … … 6
Swedish … … 6
Greek … … 5
Latvian … … 5
Swiss … … 4
Iraqi … … 3
Palestinian … … 3
Turkish … … 3
Yugoslav … … 3
Dominican … … 2
Japanese … … 2
Norwegian … … 2
Portuguese … … 2
Albanian … … 1
Arabian … … 1
Bolivian … … 1
Chilean … … 1
Egyptian … … 1
Islandic … … 1
Iranian … … 1
Lithuanian … … 1
Moroccan … … 1
Syrian … … 1
Total … … 2,168

26. Mr. Haire

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that officers of his Department carry out their inquiries with regard to applicants for naturalisation with the necessary tact and courtesy

Mr. Ede

Inquiries into applications for naturalisation are carried out by police officers and it is the practice of chief officers of the police to select for this purpose officers of experience and discretion.

43. Mr. Skeffington

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many aliens have been naturalised since 31st July, 1945; and how the figure compares with the period 31st July, 1938, to 30th July, 1939.

Mr. Ede

In the twelve months from 1st August, 1938, to 31st July, 1939, the number of persons naturalised was 2,660. It was not until the end of 1945 that the Government decided to end the policy of suspension and to start granting certificates to persons in the priority classes. In the first six months of 1946, 1,123 certificates were granted. In the next four months, as the preparatory work began to bear fruit, the number was 2,025, making a total of 3,148 for the first ten months of the current calendar year.