With permission, Mr. Speaker, I should like to make a statement on the question of the admission to this country of Mr. J. Williams and his family from South Africa.

On 26th March, Mr. Williams and his wife and five sons arrived at Southampton. Mr. Williams at first claimed that they had come for a holiday visit, but later admitted that they wished to stay here permanently, and that he and two of his sons wished to seek employment here. No member of the family held a Ministry of Labour work permit; no accommodation had been arranged, and the funds at Mr. Williams's disposal would not have enabled him to maintain himself and his family for any substantial period.

In these circumstances, and in accordance with normal policy, Mr. Williams and his family were refused leave to land. At no stage was any request made for political asylum and I have no evidence to suggest that there is any valid ground for such a request.

So long as the circumstances remain unchanged, there are no grounds for altering the decision already taken. The House will, however, wish to know in what circumstances any member of the Williams family would be eligible for labour permits. The position is that if an employer in this country were to apply for a permit for either of the two elder sons, in respect of a genuine vacancy which cannot be filled by British or resident alien labour, the application would at once be favourably considered, and, if granted, the holder of the permit would be admitted as an individual.

Mr. Williams, who is 68, is too old for a permit. Mrs. Williams is not too old and any application in respect of her would need to be considered in the light of her qualifications and her ability to undertake full-time employment.