§ 4. Mr. RANKINasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent negotiations between the British and French Governments for a mutual arrangement to stimulate week-end tourist traffic by the elimination of passports?
§ Mr. EDENThe French Government have recently inquired whether French tourists holding week-end tickets available for live days from Friday to Tuesday will be allowed to proceed to London, without passports, on a basis of reciprocity. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department that, for some time past, French tourists holding weekend tickets to Channel ports, available for five days from Friday to Tuesday, have been admitted without passports, and no objection has been raised to their proceeding to London after the purchase of a ticket at the port of arrival. In the circumstances, my right hon. Friend is informing the French Government that His Majesty's Government are glad to enter into an arrangement by which British and French holders of these weekend tickets will be allowed to continue their journey to Paris and London respectively without passports.
§ Mr. SMITHERSIs any record kept of these foreign people who come into this country: and is some precaution taken to see that they eventually go back again?
§ Brigadier-General NATIONAre the Government considering any general abolition of passports, as was the case before the War?