§ 38. Mr. Randallasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet received from the United Kingdom Committee of the World Refugee Year the information concerning specially handicapped refugees who wish to come to this country; and whether he will consider reducing the standards which have hitherto operated.
§ Mr. RentonLists of applicants from among handicapped refugees of long standing will now be prepared abroad on the basis of revised criteria, settled in consultation with the United Kingdom Committee of the World Refugee Year, of which I am circulating a copy in the OFFICIAL REPORT. When these lists are available, consideration will be given, in the light of the offers of sponsorship received by the voluntary bodies concerned, to the numbers who can be admitted.
§ Mr. RandallI am much obliged to the hon. and learned Gentleman and his right hon. Friend the Home Secretary for their very sympathetic action and understanding in this problem. Is the figure in mind about 500, in addition to the 210 handicapped refugees who have been allowed to enter this country? May we take it that Her Majesty's Government have in mind the entry into this country of approximately 1,000 handicapped refugees? If so, that is a very excellent contribution to the wonderful compaign on behalf of World Refugee Year.
§ Mr. RentonIt would be rash and, indeed, impossible for me to commit the Government to a definite figure, bearing in mind that we have yet to find out how many refugees there are in Europe who fit in to the enlarged new category. Also, the number received must depend upon the number of sponsorships we have received by the time that we have to make the decision.
§ Following is the information: