§ 68. Miss Rathboneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define his policy regarding the forcible repatriation or deportation of persons claiming to be Stateless; does he send back to their countries of origin persons whose Statelessness isestablished or probable or doubtful; and, in cases where the country of origin has a National Government, does he first obtain the consent of that Government.
§ Mr. EdeWhen I am satisfied that: it is conducive to the public good to terminate a foreigner'sstay in this country, and that no disproportionate personal hardship will be caused, it is my duty to take appropriate action. In practice, an alien can only be deported to territory whose Government recognise him as a national or are otherwise prepared to admit him. The same principles apply to the compulsory repatriation of aliens of enemy origin.
§ Miss RathboneDoes my right hon. Friend mean that he will no longer deport the man, particulars of whose case have been furnished to him, who was born in a part of Poland which is no longer Poland, left at the age of four, does not speak any Polish, and, being a Jew, will be severely penalised if he goes back to a country to which he does not belong, and has he to ask the leave of the Warsaw Government to do that?
§ Mr. EdeI am in correspondence with the hon. Lady about this case, and I am seeing whether there is some place other than Poland which will be willing to receive this man.
§ Miss RathboneHow can there possibly be a country willing to receive a petty criminal and a man who is definitely 1539 Stateless according to international legal and customary definitions of Stateless-ness?
§ Mr. EdeI very much regret that the hon. Lady should have made a certain disclosure in the course of that further question, because it will increase the difficulties I have in dealing appropriately with this man.