§ 53. Wing-Commander Jamesasked the Home Secretary what steps he proposes to take to meet the increasing problem of alien persons who, upon conviction in the courts and recommendation for deportation, are found to be Stateless and thus have to remain as a burden upon this country?
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Sir Samuel Hoare)While I fully recognise the importance of this point, I think the extent of the difficulty is likely to be exaggerated by the fact that while publicity is frequently given to cases where undesirable aliens cannot be deported, it is seldom given to cases where deportation is effected. In the 16 months ended 30th April, 1939, there have been 216 deportation orders and 23 cases where it was not possible to make such orders owing to the alien being. 1613 Stateless. The only remedy is to exercise the greatest possible care as regards the admission of Stateless persons, and this has been the policy of recent years.
Miss RathboneIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the return of these Stateless persons to their country of origin would mean the certainty of their death or permanent imprisonment, and is he not aware that the public of this country would prefer a greater application of leniency rather than of stringency in dealing with these persons?
§ Wing-Commander JamesWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the question relates to persons who have been convicted?
Viscountess AstorIs is not true that a great many people in this country want desirable aliens here, but they are very much against having Communists?