§ 41. Professor A. V. Hillasked the Home Secretary whether there has been any change, since the declaration of the United Nations on 17th December, in the policy of his Department with regard to the issue of visas for Jewish or other refugees who manage to escape from enemy or enemy-occupied countries?
44 and 64. Miss Rathboneasked the Home Secretary (1) whether there has been any alteration, since December 1942, in the policy carried out by his Department with regard to the issue of visas for Jewish or political refugees in danger from Nazi persecution; and whether he will state, for the guidance of those who desire to apply for visas for individual cases, the existing Regulations governing this matter;
(2) whether he will give special attention to requests for visas for this country for endangered Jewish or other persons still in enemy-occupied countries whose relatives here have reason to believe that the endangered person would be received into a neutral country, if the authorities of that country were first assured that a visa for this country would be available?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI cannot, at present, add anything to the statement made on Tuesday by the Deputy Prime Minister.
Miss RathboneIs not the Minister aware that that statement gives hope only to people in neutral countries, and of the great assistance it is to refugees from enemy countries if their relatives in neutral countries are able to assure the British consuls that they possess visas for them to enter this country? Will he 290 seriously consider changing these Regulations, which are a most serious obstacle to the rescue of refugees in enemy-occupied countries?
§ Mr. MorrisonI should have thought there were considerable difficulties about visas for people in enemy-occupied territories, but I do not think I ought to add to the statement which the Deputy Prime Minister made that we are in the fullest consultation with Allied Governments on the matter.
Dr. Russell ThomasWill the Minister say that whoever get visas to come to this country will duly return to their own countries of origin when the war is over?
§ Mr. MorrisonI think it has always been assumed, though there has been no decision on the point, that the refugees in question were here for a temporary period.
43. Miss Rathboneasked the Home Secretary how many men, women and children, respectively, have, during the past six months, been granted visas for this country; how many of these have been admitted; and how many of them were Jews or non-Aryans in danger from Nazi persecution?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe number of visas which I specially authorised during the six months to 31st December last was 900, of which 478 were for males and 422 for females. 183 of the visas were to enable children from Vichy France to come here to join relatives in this country. All those to whom visas were granted and who arrived here have been admitted, but figures are not available, without special inquiry, as to how many have, so far, arrived, nor have I the particulars asked for in the last part of the Question.
Miss RathboneIs not the Minister aware that the extreme meagreness of our own efforts and the rigidity of our Regulations are a serious impediment to people in Allied and neutral countries to show generosity? Must we not set an example?
§ Mr. MorrisonI think the observations of the hon. Lady are grossly unfair. This country and the British Empire can stand up to distinctly favourable comparison with any other country in the world.
§ Mr. WoolleyIs it not a fact that this country is now looking after 225,000 refugees?
§ Mr. MorrisonI forget the number, but it is very substantial. I am sorry if I was a little heated, but I do resent implications that this country has not done a considerable amount.