§ 39. Brigadier Clarkeasked the Minister of Labour what estimate he has made of the extent to which the entry of immigrants into this country has caused the current problem of unemployment.
§ Mr. HareI understand that my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind immigrants from the Commonwealth. The vast majority of these immigrants take employment in the more prosperous areas of the country and there is no evidence to support my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion.
§ Brigadier Clarkeasked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed immigrants there are in the United Kingdom today.
§ Mr. HareOn 6th November, the date of the last count, there were 29,725 Commonwealth immigrants unemployed in this country, compared with 30,545 at the October count and 37,372 in July.
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§ Brigadier Clarkeasked the Minister of Labour why he has not exercised his powers to halt immigration to the United Kingdom in view of the large-scale unemployment that it has caused.
§ Mr. HareThere is no evidence that current unemployment has been caused by immigration to this country. The Government is exercising its powers under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act to control the flow of immigrants into this country so that they do not come here faster than we can absorb them into our national life.