§ Sir C. Osborneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 54,319 Commonwealth immigrants admitted to the United Kingdom during the month of September came for employment and counted against the 10,000 maximum per annum; what check there is on the balance; for what purpose they came; whether they can stay indefinitely; whether they can seek employment subsequently; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. George ThomasCommonwealth citizens subject to Part I of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1962, who were admitted during September, 1965, were classified as follows:
Voucher-holders 1,131 Dependants 3,411 Other immigrants 236 Returning residents 14,084 Students 4,236 Visitors for more than six months 1,717 Remaining incoming passengers (mainly visitors for periods of less than six months) 29,504 54,319 Most of those in the last three categories were admitted on conditions limiting the 55W period of their stay; and, in some cases, there was an additional condition restricting freedom to take employment. A Commonwealth citizen is free to stay in the United Kingdom or, as the case may be, to take employment save when doing so conflicts with the conditions on which he has been admitted to the United Kingdom. On 2nd August the issue of vouchers was reduced to a rate of 8,500 a year. A voucher normally remains valid for six months and some of the voucher-holders who were admitted during September will have been granted their vouchers before the rate of issue was reduced.