§ 9. Mr. Henry Usborneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Mr. and Mrs. Mueller, Home Office reference No. M.35487, who have been waiting now for 15 months to join their children in England and who come under the Distressed Relatives Scheme, have been held up in Paris for five weeks; and when the passport control officer will give them their visa to proceed on their journey.
§ Mr. EdeI understand that application was not made in Paris till a fortnight ago and that the applicants had no proper identity papers, but appeared to be Germans who had recently left Germany. It is the duty of the passport control officer to satisfy himself as to their identity and bona fides before granting them visas, and inquiries, I am informed, are being made for that purpose.
§ Mr. UsborneCan my right hon. Friend say when the inquiries are likely to be completed?
§ Mr. EdeWe are proceeding with them as rapidly as we can. A fortnight is not very long, in the present disturbed state of the Continent.