§ 54. Mr. Knox Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will renew the visa of Mr. Mario Santini in order to enable him to continue his studies in Northern Ireland which have been interrupted by illness.
§ Sir H. Lucas-ToothNo, Sir. Mr. Santini has already had more than four years to pursue his studies in Northern Ireland and I regret that his record as a student would not justify my right hon. and gallant Friend in granting him any further extension of stay in this country.
§ Mr. Knox CunninghamTaking into consideration that these matters were before his Department when he issued the visa a year ago, and that since then this young man has had a very serious illness, that he has friends in Northern Ireland who are prepared to assist him financially 1351 there, and that, because there has been a change of regime in the country in which he was brought up he cannot return to that country, where his mother is now living, will my hon. Friend modify the decision of his Department and try to help this individual, who has had many misfortunes?
§ Sir H. Lucas-ToothSantini's academic record has been thoroughly unsatisfactory. He failed his examinations during his first two years. During 1953–54 his attendance was very poor—it was not one quarter of the possible attendances. He enrolled only for evening classes in 1954–55 and his attendance during that period was even worse; and had it been known that he had so enrolled he would not have been granted an extension of his visa last year.