§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether illegal immigrants who entered the United Kingdom before January 1973 and who are now permitted to stay will be entitled under EEC rules to settle in other Community countries.
§ Dr. SummerskillGiving permission to remain to a person who has entered the United Kingdom illegally does not extend to him EEC rights of freedom of movement. The latter depend upon his coming within the special definition of a United Kingdom national that was included in the Final Act of the Treaty of Accession.
§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of dependants of illegal immigrants who will settle in the United Kingdom following his amnesty.
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§ Mr. Merlyn ReesNo reliable estimate can be made because by definition the numbers are not known. 4,867 dependants were declared by the 1,663 Commonwealth citizens and citizens of Pakistan found eligible up to 31st October 1977 under the terms of my predecessors' announcement of 11th April 1974 affecting those who entered before 1st January 1973 without examination by an immigration officer.
§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of Commonwealth and Pakistani citizens who entered the United Kingdom illegally before 1st January 1973 and who will benefit from his decision of 29th November not to remove them.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Brotherton) on 6th December.—[Vol. 940, c.620–1.]
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in view of the fact that most illegal immigrants live in stress areas where there is a grave housing shortage, overcrowding, shortage of schools, hospitals and social services, what action he took before his announcement of an amnesty for the pre-1973 illegal immigrants to ensure that a further influx of spouses, children and relatives of these illegal immigrants will not further exacerbate already difficult situations; and what extra financial assistance will be given to such areas;
(2) in view of the fact that in many areas housing allocations, educational grants and other social benefits are based upon proof of living in a given area, to what extent his amnesty for illegal immigrants prior to 1973 will affect these regulations; and whether he will consult on such matters in order to prevent unrest arising from his amnesty declaration.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe decision I announced on 29th November affects people already in the United Kingdom whose presence here, before the recent court judgments, was thought to be lawful. Numbers of them will already have their dependants here. There is no expectation of an early or sudden additional influx of dependants consequent898W on my decision; and I have no reason to expect that any adjustment would be required on account of it in eligibility for social benefits or in the financial help given by the Government to local authorities in the areas concerned.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether those legal immigrants who have been waiting for their next of kin to be admitted for many years will be treated in the same way as the illegal immigrants under the 1973 amnesty rule.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe dependants of a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of Pakistan whose position in this country is regularised under the terms of my announcement of 29th November will then be eligible to apply for entry clearance under the normal rules. These applicants will receive no preferential treatment and will take their turn in order of application with dependants of lawful immigrants.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, since he is unable to give any estimate of the number of illegal immigrants in Great Britain at any time, if, in order to assist in preventing such happenings in the future, he will publish a quarterly table giving details of those that have voluntarily surrendered and will do so under his 1973 amnesty, together with their ages, countries of origin, sex, date of arrival, the number in family who illegally entered and their ages, whether employed since arrival, with or without national insurance cards, whether or not income tax was paid, and what social security benefits or other public funds were drawn.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesInformation about the number of applications made and granted under the terms of my predecessor's announcement of 11th April 1974 is placed in the Library, with the Control of Immigration Statistics, each quarter. Similar information will in future be given in respect of applications made under the terms of my announcement of 29th November.
Information in the detail requested could only be made available centrally at disproportionate cost but, up to 31st October 1977, of the 1,663 applications granted 698 were from citizens of India 899W and 930 from citizens of Pakistan. Almost all of these related to males.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisis asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give an assurance that his pre-1973 amnesty for immigrants will be used to prevent further illegal immigration and that those that arrived from 1973 onwards will not be granted an amnesty.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesAll reasonable and practicable measures will continue to be taken to prevent illegal entry. As I said in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, East (Mr. Clemitson—[Vol. 940, c.125–8.]—on 29th November, I do not shrink from firm action to deal with it, and it will remain the Government's normal practice to send away those who entered in this way on or after 1st January 1973.