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Commonwealth Migration

Volume 646: debated on Tuesday 24 October 1961

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Q8.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will hold direct consultations with the other Commonwealth Prime Ministers before announcing proposals for limiting Commonwealth migration to this country.

It will always be our aim to consult with our partners in the Commonwealth on issues which affect their interests.

But when so many Prime Ministers in the Commonwealth think that this whole matter goes right to the root of the conception of the British Commonwealth, would it not be a very grave matter indeed to announce a unilateral decision by Great Britain without actually having had proper consultations with the Prime Ministers themselves beforehand? Secondly, would it not, in any case, be a very good idea to have such consultations, so that if the burden of migration has to be shared, it can be shared among all the Commonwealth countries after friendly consultation round the table?

As I say, we do always have very full consultation. This is a matter, of course, on which each Commonwealth country makes its own arrangements, but perhaps it would really be better to wait, in the event of any such question being a matter of debate.

Will the Prime Minister say by which Minister consultations are being conducted with the Government of Eire about restricting the emigration of subjects of that country to this country? Who is in charge of that particular discussion or negotiation?

Any question that affects Eire is, by tradition, dealt with through the Commonwealth Office.

In view of the angry statements that have come from the Commonwealth since the Home Secretary's speech at the Conservative Party Conference, can the Prime Minister say whether there was consultation with the Commonwealth Prime Ministers before that important statement of policy was made?

I think that we had much better wait until the whole matter is debated.