London — The British Home Secretary, Mr. Leon Brittan, said here on Friday that his Government could not accept all those who wanted to come here for settlement but the immigration control will be ‘fair’ although firm.

He said, “‘we aim rightly to make it as easy as we can for people to come here temporarily, but that carries with it the need for adequate control will be “‘fair,’’ although firm.

He said, ‘“‘we aim rightly to make it as easy as we can for people to come here temporarily, but that carries with it the need for adequate control.”

“No advanced industrial and democratic country can fail to take appropriate measures to control immigration in a world in which relative poverty and instability, often compels people to search for better home. Admission for temporary purposes must not therefore become an avenue to permanent settlement if we are to maintain a practical and consistent immigration policy which faces the realities of the modern world and seeks to resolve its conflicting pressures,” he said.

The Home Secretary was, for the first time, answering the criticism from various circles regarding the hurdles which immigration authorities were facing in a bid to discourage people, especially from South Asia, from coming here even one temporary visit.

Addressing the annual conference of the United Kingdom Immigration Advisory Services, UKIAS, he rejected the view of the Commission for Racial Equality that the Government was too control minded.

He said over the past decade the Government had accepted a third of a million wives and children for settlement. Besides, the country made important commitments to refugees and others who had a justified fear of danger to their lives on return to their countries. The Government will continue to adhere to this policy.

He was obviously referring to those who have come here for political reasons. They of course include some Sikhs and Pakistanis.

Mr. Brittan disputed the allegations that even arriving passengers were being subjected to immigration control. He said 99.9 percent of all passengers were admitted to this country. From the Indian subcontinent, 99 percent of the passengers were admitted.

The Conservative Government’s immigration policy has been repeatedly attacked by various organizations here and by South Asian governments. He said it may be true that hundreds of thousands of people wanting to come here may be hard working and honest. But that cannot be a basis in itself for admitting them. By the same token, the fact that people who do not have the right to stay here have been hard working and _ respected members of the community cannot mean that they should be allowed to stay just because of that. He said the Government will certainly take into account the circumstances, including compassionate grounds, for allowing even those who have entered unlawfully, to remain here. But it would be wrong to let them stay here for good once they had secured a foothold here. ““‘We need to be fair not just to individuals but between individuals as well,’’ he said.

 

 

 

 

BEWARE

OF ANTI SIKH

RUMORS

Article extracted from this publication >>  April 26, 1985