HC Deb 07 November 1975 vol 899 cc351-3W
Mr. Ian Gilmour

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors he has taken into account in determining whether a person who was originally admitted to Great Britain subject to conditions should be granted the right of settlement; and, in particular, whether account is taken of conditions of the general employment situation and housing conditions in the country.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to his Question on 17th July.—[Vol. 895, c. 1697–98.]—The Immigration Rules for Control after Entry, which set out the criteria for allowing settlement, reflect the economic circumstances of this country.

Mr. Ian Gilmour

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that during 1974 the number of people admitted to Great Britain from the countries of the New Commonwealth exceeded by 89,000 the number of those who left the country, he will state why this figure is that much higher than for any previous year.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

The total to which the right hon. Member refers—which is calculable from Table 2(a) of the Immigration Statistics 1974: Cmnd 6064—is based on an estimated figure for embarkations. Estimation was necessary because a clerical error had resulted in double counting of embarkations at London Airport. I regret that the same error affected the 1973 figures. The estimated net balance for 1973 is 86,000 not 17,000 as appeared from the corresponding table in the published statistics for that year.

Thus, the figures for both 1973 and 1974 showed a substantial increase over previous years. But net, balance figures are not a reliable indication of the numbers of people settling in this country. In 1972 for instance the net balance figure was substantially below the total for settlement. The only reliable figures are those of admissions for settlement and acceptances for settlement by revocation of conditions. Net balance figures are affected by all sorts of factors which govern the numbers of people who come here from time to time for temporary purposes. I agree, however, that large variations in the figures over several years would give legitimate ground for concern about either the statistics or the facts.

Mr. Ian Gilmour

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that the figures relating to persons from the Commonwealth entering or leaving Great Britain each year are reliable.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

I believe that landing figures have always been reliable, but this has not always been the case with embarkation figures in the past. However, since 1st March 1975 citizens of Commonwealth countries and citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who are subject to immigration control have been required to complete landing and embarkation cards. One of the reasons for introducing this change was to improve statistics.

Mr. Ian Gilmour

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the reasons for the increase of about 10,000 to a total of some 19,000 in the number of successful applicants in 1974 as compared with the previous year in the number of applicants who successfully applied for permission to settle in Great Britain, after having been admitted on a temporary basis subject to conditions.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

The increase is largely due to (1) acceptances for settlement on marriage to persons, male and female, already settled here; and (2) the qualification of Commonwealth citizens for the immunity from deportation granted by Section 7 of the Immigration Act 1971 to those who were ordinarily resident in this country on 1st January 1973 and who have been so resident for five years. In 1974 I decided to revoke their conditions of stay in order to recognise this immunity. The great majority of those so dealt with were lawfully resident for the whole of the five-year period.