§ 59. Mr. Stewardasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if Her Majesty's Government are now in a position to state the rate at which immigrants from East and West Africa, Aden, Malaya and the West Indies have arrived in search of work in the United Kingdom during the present year, compared with the rate of immigration in the years 1946 to 1953; and whether he will discuss with the Colonial Governments concerned a system of planned immigration.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI am informed by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary that he has no power to require British subjects arriving in the United Kingdom to furnish the information which would be necessary to answer the first part of the Question, and I regret that it is only in respect of the West Indies that a limited comparison can be made on the basis of information furnished to me by Colonial Governments. This suggests that from 1951 to 1953 migrants were leaving the168W West Indies for the United Kingdom at the rate of about 2,000 a year but that some 6,000 have set out during the first nine months of this year. As regards the second part of the Question, I do not think that it would be appropriate, at any rate at this stage, to suggest to Colonial Governments that they should introduce legislation to restrict emigration.
§ 73. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will propose to the Ministers concerned that a conference be called of representatives of local authorities in areas where there are considerable populations of immigrants from Colonial and Commonwealth countries, with a view to consideration of problems of accommodation, employment, and social welfare.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydWhile I am anxious to be as helpful as possible to local authorities where there are considerable populations of Colonial emigrants, I do not consider it advisable for Government to convene a conference. Should the authorities themselves feel the need for consulting Government Departments about their problems I would willingly arrange for my Department to join in discussions.
§ 89. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many British subjects have emigrated from Jamaica and other islands in the British West Indies to the United Kingdom during the past three years; and what arrangements are made by the Colonial Governments concerned to advise intending emigrants about housing and employment in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydInformation furnished to me by West Indian Governments suggests that from 1951 to 1953 emigrants were arriving from those Territories in the United Kingdom at the rate of about 2,000 a year, and that some 6,000 set out during the first nine months of this year. The great majority of these people are Jamaicans.
Frequent information has been issued by those Governments through the local Press and by their labour departments advising intending immigrants about the problems of housing and employment in the United Kingdom.
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§ 90. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what notification is received by his Department of the impending arrival of emigrants from the British West Indies; and what steps are taken to deal with such emigrants who arrive in this country without jobs or homes.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydGovernors usually inform me by telegram of the numbers of emigrants, their means of transport and the estimated date of arrival. This information is passed on to other Government Departments concerned. The ordinary social services are available to those who arrive without jobs or homes, as they are to other British subjects similarly placed.