§ 8. Captain W. Elliotasked the Secretary of State for the Home Deparement what proposals he has to tighten up security measures in order to prevent illegal entry into and out of Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CallaghanAll the responsible services are alert to this problem and co-operation between them is close. I shall keep the situation under continuing review.
§ Captain ElliotThat is a rather complacent Answer. Is the Home Secretary aware that numbers of crooks, espionage agents, illegal immigrants and even enterprising schoolboys get into and out of this country with or without papers and with forged papers, and that this is becoming increasingly irritating? Will he do something about it?
§ Mr. CallaghanEven at the height of war, when the country was entirely sealed off from everyone else, it was impossible to prevent the situation to which the hon. and gallant Member refers. We have to make a balance here and I know that the authorities concerned are well aware of the point which the hon. and gallant Member makes.
§ Mr. HoggWould the Home Secretary take the opportunity to say what has happened about the widely publicised case of 29 Pakistanis who came in the other day? Are they the subject of charges, is the matter sub judice or what has happened?
§ Mr. CallaghanThere is a possibility of court proceedings, so perhaps I had better not comment further.