§ Mr. Moyleasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what effect the operation of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968 has had on the numbers of older dependant children and dependant fathers admitted for settlement.
§ Mr. CallaghanThe change in the law made by Section 2(1) of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1968 has markedly reduced the number of youths396W coming to this country at or near working age to join all-male households. The number of dependant fathers seeking admission has also fallen as the result of raising the age of admission from 60 to 65 by administrative action to deal with a number of men suspected to be of working age who were seeking admission as dependant fathers.
The following are the figures of admission in both categories during the three-month period preceding these changes and the two following periods of three months:—
Male Children aged 14–15 joining one parent Dependant Fathers December 1967 to February 1968. 1,032 89 March to May 1968 39 6 June to August 1968. 14 —