§ MR. J. R. MACDONALD (Leicester)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has made further inquiries regarding the steps taken by the immigration officer at Harwich in the case of Alexander Ouix to carry out the purpose of the Aliens Act as regards political refugees; whether any notice was taken of the statement of the deported refugee's companion that Ouix had fled from Russia for a political crime, and whether they were informed of an immigration board to which an appeal could be made; whether an interpreter was employed who could only speak in English and German; and whether he has satisfied himself that the immigration officer at Harwich carried out his duties in a satisfactory way.
§ MR. GLADSTONEI have made further inquiry into the case in question. It is quite clear that the immigration officer did all he could to convey to Ouix the fact that he could appeal. Further, he endeavoured to induce the master of the ship to exercise his right to appeal on behalf of Ouix, but without success. But it is not clear that Ouix understood that he had a right of appeal. I have given instructions that immigration officers should be supplied with copies of the 89 notice stating the right of immigrants to appeal printed in all the languages at all likely to be used. I am also considering whether it is possible to establish advisory committees who could assist immigration boards to give full effect to the intention of Parliament as expressed in Section 1, Sub-section (3), of the Aliens Act.