§ 40. Mr. Peter Thorneycroftasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many distressed persons have, in fact, been enabled to rejoin their relatives in this country under the scheme announced on 13th November, 1945, specifying the numbers admitted from each country on the Continent, from the British zone in Germany, and from the camps for displaced persons in Europe.
§ Mr. Ede924 foreigners have so far been identified as arriving under the scheme for distressed relatives, but large numbers are known to be awaiting transport facilities. 1331 The statistics are based on arrivals at ports in the United Kingdom and do not show the place from which the individuals started their journey.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftIn view of the right hon. Gentleman's answer, is he really satisfied that the necessary machinery exists abroad to enable these people to take advantage of the appropriate scheme?
§ Mr. EdeI am satisfied that the machinery for obtaining visas is adequate. I have no responsibility for the transport facilities, some of which exist or fail to exist in areas over which His Majesty's Government have no effective control.