Oral Answers to Questions — Commonwealth Relations – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 1 Rhagfyr 1964.
Mr Willie Hamilton
, Fife West
12:00,
1 Rhagfyr 1964
asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what progress has been made in the discussions with other Commonwealth Governments on the problem of immigration into this country; and whether he will make a statement.
Mr Arthur Bottomley
, Middlesbrough East
I said in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton (Mr. Sorensen) on 24th November that I had nothing to add to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd) on 17th November. This is still the position.
Mr Willie Hamilton
, Fife West
I am not too well acquainted with the contents of that Answer. Can my right hon. Friend say whether negotiations are still continuing with the Commonwealth Governments and whether at this stage he can say what the response has been, particularly from the Indian, Pakistan and West Indian Governments, to my right hon. Friend's proposals.
Mr Arthur Bottomley
, Middlesbrough East
Discussions are still continuing, and at this stage I have nothing further to add.
Mr Geoffrey Lloyd
, Sutton Coldfield
Does the right hon. Gentleman now appreciate the advantages of the Commonwealth Immigration Act which is protecting the country from an undue flood of immigration while the right hon. Gentleman pursues his negotiations?
Mr Arthur Bottomley
, Middlesbrough East
As I have said, the negotiations are still continuing and until they are finalised there is nothing further to add.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.