E.R.
Numbers
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6. In 1973, an estimated 8 million people with a grandparental connection were eligible for entry. The number accepted for settlement under the concession has risen from a few hundred in 1973 to over 4 thousand in 1978, the large majority originating from Australia and New Zealand, with smaller numbers from Canada, and a few score annually from India. The proportion granted settlement on removal of time limit is currently about a quarter. Detailed figures are set out in the
Appendix.
7.
8.
In interpreting these figures, it should be borne in mind that:
(i) the Immigration Rules provide that the wife and dependent children of a person entering the United Kingdom to take or seek employment may be admitted provided that adequate support and accommodation for them is available. A significant number of persons currently admitted for settlement as dependants would therefore also be affected by abolition of paragraph 27.
(ii)
A proportion of those admitted under the current Rules affecting husbands or fiance(e)s have UK-born grandparents. The marriage Rules which existed from 1973 to 1974 made special provision for men with a grandparent born in the UK to be admitted as husbands of, or for marriage to, a woman settled here. Whether or not some similar provision is made in the new marriage Rules now under consideration, such men would still be able to enter to seek work (and therefore, in practice, to marry) so long as paragraph 27 remains in its present
form.
There is little doubt that abolition or restriction of this concession would significantly reduce numbers accepted for settlement, although:
(a) it must be accepted that a proportion of those who now seek admission
under this provision do not intend to settle permanently, but do so for reasons of convenience and/or pride;
(b)
some of those admitted might qualify for work permits (the issue of which the Government is committed to restrict) and thus be able to obtain settlement after 4 years in approved employment;
(c) the sharp increase in 1978 may partly reflect a "beat the ban" influx
following publicity given in Australia and New Zealand to the recommendation of the Select Committee on Race Relations and Immigration (discussed below) that the provision should be abolished.
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CONFIDENTIAL