§ 16. Mr. N. Pannellasked the Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will make representations to the Government of the Republic of India to ensure that intending migrants from India to the United Kingdom shall be furnished with bona fide British passports.
§ Mr. AlportThroughout the difficult situation created by the arrival at United Kingdom ports of a number of migrants from India, some of whom were travelling on forged passports, we have had the fullest co-operation both from the Government of India and from their Acting High Commissioner in the United Kingdom.
The Government of India issued a public statement on 10th November in which they again emphasised that it was their policy to prevent the issue of passports valid for the United Kingdom to illiterate and semi-literate persons who do not know English. They added that instructions had been issued for a more rigorous scrutiny of travel documents at Indian ports, particularly if the destination of the holders was the United Kingdom or any other European country, and that recent migrants had been the dupes of unscrupulous travel agents and others.
§ Mr. PannellI thank the hon. Member for that reply, but is it not a fact that the cost of repatriating these illegal imigrants was borne by the British Treasury? Does not my hon. Friend consider it reasonable, in the circum-stances, to suggest to the Indian Government that they should bear the charge, since these illegal immigrants came here as a result of evading the Indian law?
§ Mr. AlportThe question of financing repatriation is one for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. As I said in my main Answer, we have had the very closest co-operation from the Indian Government in dealing with a matter which they regard as being against their interests, just as much as it may produce complications for the United Kingdom.