§ 60. Lady Tweedsmuirasked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations how many British emigrants entered Australia in 1957, 1958, and 1959; and what arrangements are made to assist them.
§ Mr. AlportAccording to figures published by the Australian Department of Immigration, the number of British persons entering Australia as immigrants was 52,533 in 1957, 60,196 in 1958 and 47,303 in the first nine months of 1959; of these 37,968, 43,555 and about 35,000 emigrated from the United Kingdom.
As regards the second part of the Question, in 1597 26,381 migrants from the United Kingdom were assisted through the Assisted Passage Scheme to which Her Majesty's Government contribute £150,000 a year. For 1958 and 1959 the corresponding figures were 29,349 and 32,736. Among these, child migrants travelling under the auspices of eight voluntary societies with which my noble Friend has made agreements received outfit allowances of £4 each and maintenance allowances paid in Australia of 10s. starling per week. Apart from these child migrants, emigrants after reaching Australia are the responsibility of the Australian authorities. A summary of the arrangements made for them is contained in Chapter III of the Fifth Report of the Oversea Migration Board which is being published today.