§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the estimate of 255,000 people in former British territories with passports entitling them to settle in Great Britain includes the 100,000 Indians now living in Malaysia; and what estimate he has of the total number of persons involved if children and next of kin of these persons were included.
§ Mr. KershawI would refer the hon. Member to the figures given in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes) on 23rd October. That figure comprised the best estimate that we are able to make of the number of persons with no other citizenship whether or not they hold current British passports. It is a total figure and includes children and other dependants who are themselves United Kingdom citizens.
On the information available a high proportion of the estimated 110,000 people in Malaysia is of Indian origin.—[Vol. 843, c. 770.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether he is aware that the British Government's estimate of British 58W passport holders claiming the same rights of entry into Great Britain as the Ugandan Asians, now domiciled in Tanzania is 20,000; and whether he will seek to obtain from the Tanzanian Government the actual figure of such passport holders and their dependants and publish these details in the OFFICIAL REPORT;
(2) whether he is aware that the British Government's estimate of the number of British passport holders claiming the same rights of entry into Great Britain as the Ugandan Asians, now domiciled in Zambia, is 6,000; and whether he will seek to obtain from the Zambian Government the actual figure of such passport holders and their dependants and publish these details in the OFFICIAL REPORT;
(3) whether he is aware that the British Government's estimate of the number of British passport holders claiming the same rights of entry into Great Britain as the Ugandan Asians, now domiciled in Malawi, is 13,000; and whether he will seek to obtain from the Malawi Government the actual figure of such passport holders and their dependants and publish these details in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
(4) whether he is aware that the British Government's estimate of the number of British passport holders claiming the same rights of entry into Great Britain as the Ugandan Asians, now domiciled in India, is 25,000; and whether he will seek to obtain from the Indian Government the actual figure of such passport holders and their dependants and publish these details in the OFFICIAL REPORT;
(5) whether he is aware that the British Government's estimate of the number of British passport holders claiming the same rights of entry into Great Britain as the Ugandan Asians, now domiciled in Pakistan, is 1,000; and whether he will seek to obtain from the Pakistan Government the actual figure of such passport holders and their dependants and publish these details in the OFFICIAL REPORT;
(6) whether he is aware that the British Government's estimate of the number of British passport holders claiming the same rights of entry into Great Britain as the Ugandan Asians, now domiciled in Malaysia and Singapore, is 140,000; and whether he will seek to obtain from these Governments the actual figure of such passport holders and their dependants and 59W publish these details in the OFFICIAL REPORT;
(7) whether he is aware that the British Government's estimate of British passport holders claiming the same rights of entry into Great Britain as the Ugandan Asians, now domiciled in Kenya, is 50,000; and whether he will seek to obtain from the Kenyan Government the actual figure of such passport holders and their dependants and publish these details in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. KershawThe figures of persons with no other citizenship who are subject to control under the Commonwealth Immigrants Acts given in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes) on 23rd October, and in reply to the hon. Member on 24th October represent the best possible estimate that each of Her Majesty's missions in the countries concerned is able to make from the information available to it, including such published records as exist in the country. Only when a recent census of population has taken place is it possible to make a fairly reliable estimate; this is the case in Kenya and Malawi.
There are no plans to approach the Governments concerned.—[Vol. 843, c. 770 and 245.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the official estimate of 255,000 of British passport holders able to claim rights of entry into Great Britain on a similar basis as the Ugandan Asians includes children of these passport holders; and what are the estimated number of children able to claim admittance on their parents' passport rights.
§ Mr. KershawThe estimate of 255,000 people with no other citizenship subject to control under the Commonwealth Immigrants Acts resident in former British territories is an overall total, including children whether or not they hold current British passports.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent the estimated 255,000 United Kingdom passport holders in various countries of the world, together with their families, are under the present rules and regulations, entitled to claim entry into Great Britain on the same basis 60W as the Ugandan Asians; and whether he will now discuss this subject with the various Governments of the countries of the Comonwealth.
§ Mr. KershawThe entry of United Kingdom passport holders subject to control under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, 1968, is regulated by an annual quota of special vouchers issued to heads of household. Since May, 1972, the overall allocation has been 3,500 vouchers a year.
While all aspects of this matter are kept under close review, there are no present plans to consult further with Commonwealth Governments.
§ Mr Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will arrange to discuss with the Government of the Republic of Kenya their desire to expedite the return to Great Britain of the Kenyan Asians who are British passport holders; to what extent he estimates the present entry quota could be doubled during 1973 and subsequent years; and on this basis how long it would take to admit the whole of the Kenya Asians holding British passports.
§ Mr. KershawThe entry into the United Kingdom of Asian residents of Kenya with British passports is proceeding systematically under an arrangement designed to avoid disruption in either country. That arrangement, founded on mutual agreement, continues to work satisfactorily. Any problems which arise can continue to be discussed with the Kenyan authorities as and when necessary. There are no proposals to double the quota and the question on timing does not arise.