§ 26. Mr. ALBERYasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state how many persons who entered this country with presumed Russian nationality are now resident here but not in the occupation or employment for which their entry was sanctioned?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Short)I regret that the information desired by the hon. Member is not available.
§ Mr. ALBERYDoes the hon. Gentleman's Department keep any trace or record of these people?
§ Mr. SHORTYes, but it is quite impossible to give the information for which the hon. Member asks. Perhaps he will see me, and, if there is any information that I can give him, I shall be only too glad to do so.
§ 28. Commander BELLAIRSasked the Home Secretary for what reason the two Spanish refugees were refused permission to land in this country
§ Mr. SHORTThe two Spaniards to whom I think the question refers arrived here on the 2nd instant in transit for France. They were in possession of irregular documents, and as, moreover, they had no visa for France, the immigration officer decided in the exercise of his discretion to refuse them leave to land. The case was reported to my right hon. Friend, but he could see no reason for any intervention on his part.
§ Commander BELLAIRSWill the Home Office preserve the right of asylum for refugees in this country?
§ Mr. HARRISIn view of the fact that these two gentlemen are political 342 refugees, may I ask if it has not been the custom from time immemorial that political refugees should be allowed to come to this country?
§ Mr. SHORTThat question does not arise. They were in transit to France, and were stopped because they were in possession of irregular documents.
§ Mr. MARJORIBANKSIs not that a subterfuge
§ 37. Commander BELLAIRSasked the Home Secretary how many known cases of escaped prisoners from Soviet Russia there are in this country; and whether, in all cases during his term of office, escaped Russian prisoners have been permitted to remain or, if not, whether any have been deported to Russia?
§ Mr. SHORTOnly six persons who allege that they have escaped from imprisonment in the U.S.S.R. are now in this country. Others who arrived here have, I am informed, left for various destinations and none have been deported to the U.S.S.R.
§ Mr. MARJORIBANKSAre their passports completely in order?