§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department 133W whether, in view of the fact that according to the 1971 Census there were 20,000 people born in the New Commonwealth living in Newham against a total population of 270,000 and that these figures in 1976 were 80,000 and 250,000, respectively, he will give extra financial support to this area to overcome the problems connected with such immigration.
§ Mr. JohnWe are aware of the results of the 1971 Census. Reliable information is not available on which to base later estimates of the number born in the New Commonwealth living in particular local authority areas. I do not know the source of the 1976 figures quoted by my hon. Friend, nor the definition used in arriving at that of 80,000: any estimates for 1976 made now of the population born in the New Commonwealth and living in particular local authority areas must be highly speculative. As to financial support I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given to his Questions on 29th June and 14th July.—[Vol. 914, c. 88; Vol. 915, c. 171–3.]
§ Mr, Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he is aware of the stresses and strains in the London borough of Newham resulting, in part, from large immigration; and whether he will give an assurance that the 1975–76 grants under Section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 of £263,431 will not be reduced during the years 1976 to 1979 under the Government's proposed public expenditure cuts and that he will arrange to increase these grants during this period;
(2) whether he will give the reasons why, since 1967–68 until 1975–76, the grants made under Section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 to Bradford of £48,998 have increased to £641,815, to Brent of £60,705 to £312,854, to Ealing of £78,018 to £721,442, to Haringey of £54,335 to £544,990, to Leicestershire of nil to £932,842 and to Newham of £24,332 to £263,431; and if he will forthwith increase the last figure.
§ Mr. JohnWe are aware of the stresses of life in our inner city areas, many of which contain a substantial number of immigrants.
Local authorities may claim Government grant at the rate of 75 per cent. 134W under Section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 on the cost of employed staff to deal with the difference in language or customs between Commonwealth immigrants and the indigenous community. Section 11 grant is available for all expenditure of this description in areas with substantial numbers of Commonwealth immigrants. The amount of grant-aided expenditure incurred by any individual local authority is a matter for that authority.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the figures of immigrants and their dependants living in Great Britain are based upon the 1971 census; to what extent these figures have risen or fallen since the 1971 census; and when he expects to publish the 1976 figures, or figures later than 1971.
§ Mr. JohnComprehensive information about the size of the immigrant population is collected only at the time of the census of population, which last took place in 1971. Estimates of the size of the population are the responsibility of the Registrar General who has published figures, in Population Trends 2, for that part of the immigrant population living in Great Britain which is of New Commonwealth and Pakistan ethnic origin. The estimate for 1971 is 1,486,000 and for mid-1974 is 1,744,000. I understand that later estimates will be published shortly.