§ 1. Mr. Keelingasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he has now arranged that persons who have been authorised by the Home Office to visit this country from Germany shall be given exit permits in Germany without delay.
§ The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Ernest Bevin)Travel out of the three Western Zones is governed by tripartite agreement, and applications can only be approved if they come within the prescribed travel categories. Subject to this, arrangements have now been made whereby exit permits will in future be issued with the minimum of delay.
§ Mr. KeelingIs the Secretary of State aware—as I expect he is—that a large number of the applications for permits are for compassionate cases, and that a good deal of misery has been caused in the past by the delay in granting them, which delay has extended to months?
§ Mr. BevinIf the hon. Member comes across cases like that in future under the new arrangements I shall be glad if he will tell me.