MIGRATION BILL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29691, 8 December 1961, Page 14

MIGRATION BILL

Labour Bid Defeated (NJZJ’^t.-Heuter—Copvripht> LONDON, Dec. 6. The Government last night defeated a Labour Opposition move to allow West Indians and people from Britidt colonies to evade the proposed control of Commonwealth immigration. The voting in the House of Commons was 279 to 210—a Government majority of 69. The Home Secretary (Mr Butler) had earlier made it clear that the bill would not apply at present to people from the non-Commonwealth Irish Republic because they could not find a workable solution—a fact which caused the Opposition to call the bill a “colour bar.” Three Conservatives, Mr Humphrey Berkley, Mr NigM Fisher and Mr Paul Williams, showed their opposition to Government policy by abstaining from voting. The House was debating the committee stage of the bill, when it is taken line-by-line. Mr Butler said the Government genuinely wanted power to control the Southern Irish in case of absolute necessity. This was because if the Irish Republic Government did not control emigrants from the Commonwealth entering their ports, it would be necessary to adopt immigration control at British ports to catch the immigrants. Mr Butler said he believed the Southern Irish Government had recently indicated the likelihood that it would control immigrants at its ports. If so, there would be no reason to impose control (over the Irish) at British ports. A former Labour Commonwealth Relations Secretary. Mr Patrick Gordon-Walker, commented that Mr Butler had suggested that Eire was prepared to apply a colour bar bill of its own at its own ports, keeping out Commonwealth citizens and West Indians in order, apparently, to buy themselves off from a threat which Mr Butler had made.