asked the Minister for External Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the remarks made by Lord Walston about Irish immigrants in England in the recent discussions in the House of Lords on the British Restriction of Immigration Bill, as reported in the newspapers and broadcast by the B.B.C. Radio on Thursday, 2nd November, 1961; and, if so, what action he has taken or intends to take in the matter.

My attention has been drawn to what Lord Walston said in the British House of Lords on 1st November about the number of convicted criminals of Irish nationality in British prisons. I do not consider that any importance should be attached to such irresponsible remarks which, on Lord Walston's own admission, were apparently based solely on hearsay. According to my information, statistics of the nationality of convicted criminals in Britain are not compiled.

Why do you not twist John Bull's tail?

We are twisting the Belgians' tail now.