HC Deb 16 April 1959 vol 603 cc1117-8
13. Mr. Lipton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British refugees from Egypt still await resettlement.

The Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Miss Patricia Hornsby-Smith)

Two hundred and seventy-nine persons at present wholly or partially maintained by the Anglo-Egyptian Resettlement Board have not yet been resettled.

Mr. Lipton

While I welcome the reduction since December, when there were 425 people awaiting resettlement, can the Under-Secretary of State give an assurance that this sad problem will be disposed of within the next few months?

Miss Hornsby-Smith

I assure the hon. Gentleman that the Board is doing its utmost to settle the small remaining number. Obviously, these are vhe most difficult refugees to be resettled. When one considers that the Board has had more than 6,000 cases through its hands, it is clear that it has done an extremely fine job in getting so many refugees resettled.

Forward to