§ 27. Lady Megan Lloyd Georgeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Embassy in Moscow, on behalf of British subjects who are seeking the admission to this country of relatives resident in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; how many such cases have been handled by the embassy; and what results have been achieved.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Ian Harvey)We have made repeated representations to the Soviet Government during the past eighteen months about those people for whom the entry visas are available and have drawn particular attention to the human considerations involved. Out of the 262 people concerned, with relatives in the United Kingdom or Australia, only 25 have so far been given permission to leave the Soviet Union.
§ Lady Megan Lloyd GeorgeCan the Parliamentary Secretary say whether these representations have included the case of Maria Gajlikowska, whose parents in this country lost their only son in a tragic accident in 1956 and are, naturally, most anxious that their daughter should be allowed to rejoin them here?
§ Mr. HarveyYes, Sir. This is a very sad case in which, as the hon. Lady has said, the parents suffered a very great personal tragedy. At my request, the Soviet Ambassador in London recently called at the Foreign Office to discuss this case, but the Soviet authorities have apparently closed their minds to this essentially human appeal.