§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity on what factual evidence the Government have concluded that there is not likely to be any large increase in the number of European Economic Community nationals entering this country on Great Britain's entry into the Common Market; 258W and whether she will publish the evidence on which the Government have formed this conclusion.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI would remind my hon. Friend of the wording of the statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 8th May, 1967, which was: "The Government do not believe that there is likely to be any large net increase in the number of E.E.C. nationals coming here to work. There may be a greater interchange with our nationals going to the Community to work and more Community nationals coming here, but the net inflow is not likely to be much greater than it is now". This estimate is based on the fact that the E.E.C. as a whole is at present short of labour, and most member countries have imported large numbers of workers from outside the Community.