§ 7. Sir H. BRITTAINasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his Department will do all in its power to-make mutual arrangements with whatever countries on the Continent- may be 2011 possible to extend the facilities given to travellers holding a special week-end ticket, without passport, to travellers in groups on what are known as party tickets; and whether he is aware that these tickets are issued under conditions which provide far greater safety against their abuse than the week-end tickets, and would greatly simplify such visits abroad?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Captain Hacking)I have been asked to reply. The question of extending "no passport"facilities to persons travelling on party tickets has been carefully considered from time to time, but I am advised that the difficulties involved are such as to make this concession undesirable.
§ Sir H. BRITTAINCan the hon. and gallant Gentleman tell the House any of these difficulties? It would be a tremendous boon to a large number of people who desire to visit the Continent, and could it not be made as easy as weekend tickets?
§ Captain HACKINGThere are 20,000 people who take advantage of these facilities, but they are not all British subjects. They have all to return to this country, and if we allow them to return without passports, we shall be adding very materially to the difficulties of administering the Aliens Act.