HC Deb 21 February 1979 vol 963 c180W
Mr. Powell

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his recent estimate of the resident population of Rhodesia, divided as between (a) patrial citizens of the United Kingdom and colonies, (b) other citizens of the United Kingdom and colonies, (c) other British subjects, (d) British protected persons, and (e) aliens.

Mr. Luard

We estimate that there are some 80,000 citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies in Rhodesia, most of whom are probably patrial by virtue of their birth or their father's birth in the United Kingdom. Few United Kingdom citizens are likely to be non-patrial. We believe that there are in addition, some 6.5 million citizens of Southern Rhodesia, all of whom are British subjects. The number of British protected persons in Rhodesia is not known.

The number of aliens is not available. There are thought to be some 90,000 residents of Rhodesia who are citizens of, or have a right to citizenship of, a country other than Rhodesia or the United Kingdom. We do not know how many of these people are also British subjects, citizens of Southern Rhodesia; and it is possible that a few may be United Kingdom citizens.