§ 26. Mr. Donnerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why a Swiss, M. Luigi Cei, of Davos Platz, was refused entry into this country at Folkestone on 27th April; and why he was not allowed to telephone his prospective hostess, living near Andover; this refusal causing that lady needless anxiety and waste of time.
§ Mr. EdeThis alien is an Italian who had been working in Switzerland as a ski-ing instructor. He had only a single 536 ticket and he admitted that his real purpose in coming to the United Kingdom was to take employment. He had no Ministry of Labour permit and he was refused leave to land. He did not ask to be allowed to get in touch with his prospective hostess. If he had done so permission would have been readily given.
§ Mr. DonnerIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that I am informed that this man was not allowed to telephone his friends? Would the right hon. Gentleman issue instructions to ensure that in future there can be no repetition of what amounts to either a genuine misunderstanding or quite intolerable officiousness on the part of an official?
§ Mr. EdeNo, Sir. I have inquired very carefully into this case and my information is that this man did not ask to telephone. Had he done so the immigration officer, according to instructions, would have allowed him to telephone. If such a person has no money with which to telephone or if he does not understand the British telephone system the official will telephone for him. May I say, as one who, on occasion, has tried to telephone abroad that it is sometimes difficult to understand the telephone system of another country, particularly when one has been accustomed to so efficient a system as the British system?