§ 69 Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) why he allows some Hungarian nationals and not others to visit this country for holiday purposes; and on what basis he reaches his decision;
(2) what is the basis on which he decides whether or not to permit Hungarian nationals to take up permanent residence in this country;
(3) if he will state the total number of Hungarian nationals that he has allowed to enter this country to take up permanent residence for each year from 1945 to the latest convenient date; the numbers that have been refused permission for the same period; and the same details concerning those Hungarian nationals who have asked for permission, to visit this country for holiday purposes.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home, Department (Mr. Ede)Apart from one or two special exceptions, only those 539 Hungarian nationals who come within the scheme for the admission of distressed relatives are permitted to take up permanent residence in this country. Since the beginning of 1948 it has not been possible to admit to this country for holiday purposes Hungarian nationals who are resident in Hungary, since the Hungarian authorities have been unwilling to grant intending visitors passports enabling them to return to Hungary; but visits from Hungarian nationals resident in other countries are allowed provided that the visitor has the necessary re-entry permit. The numbers of Hungarian nationals admitted to this country under the distressed relatives scheme in 1946, 1947 and 1948 were 347, 75 and 19, respectively. The number of applications made under the scheme which have been refused and the number of applications for permission to visit this country for holiday purposes which have been granted and refused are not available.
§ Air-Commodore HarveyIs it not a fact that a number of the Hungarians who are allowed to live in this country came from Germany as displaced persons?