HC Deb 16 February 1956 vol 548 cc2523-4
48. Dr. Stross

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the procedure that is followed when a foreign Government asks for the expulsion from Britain of any of their own citizens resident here; on what occasions expulsion has been enforced to their own country against their wishes; and what action has been taken against persons refusing to leave.

Mr. Deedes

I cannot emphasise too strongly that a foreigner is told to leave this country only where the Secretary of State is himself satisfied that this is in the public interest.

Dr. Stross

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that that does not answer my Question, in which I asked if there were any cases in which people have been sent back to their country of origin against their will, and what happens if they do not wish to go? I particularly wanted to ask, in addition, what happened to the Iraqi students? Were they willing to go back to Iraq? All we ask for is the truth.

Mr. Deedes

The subject of the Iraqi students was fully debated in the House recently, and I can only refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on that occasion.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

Could the hon. Gentleman perhaps tell the House in the case of the Iraqi students what, in fact, were the reasons of public interest which made their continuing stay in this country dangerous?

Mr. Deedes

The same reasons of public interest as were quoted on more than one occasion by our predecessors in office.

Mr. Younger

Could the Joint Under-Secretary answer the first part of my hon. Friend's Question? What is the procedure followed when a foreign Government asks—which is presumably something which does occasionally happen, whether this Government wishes it or not?

Mr. Deedes

I have nothing to add to the statement made on that by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in answer to a similar Ouestion on 30th January.