§ 8. Mrs. Millie Millerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present position on the admission of Chilean refugees to this country; and what period elapses before an individual is cleared for entry to the United Kingdom.
§ Dr. SummerskillUp to and including 31st January 1977, 1,873 persons are 725 known to have arrived. The period which elapses between application and clearance for entry varies from case to case.
§ Mrs. MillerIs my hon. Friend aware that there is considerable concern about the time that is taken in each case? Is she also aware of an allegation that the chief adjudicator dealing with these cases has made a statement that he is not inclined to admit supporters of the former Allende régime? [Interruption.]
§ Dr. SummerskillMy right hon. Friend is very much aware of the concern that is felt about delays in entry. I can assure my hon. Friend that he has met interested bodies and will examine the procedures. Although adjudicators are appointed by the Hom Secrtary, they are not answerable to him for the way in which they carry out their duties. Under the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1971 adjudicators operate under the general provisions of the Council on Tribunals. I am sure that the remarks of my hon. Friend and the noises of other hon. Members will be noted by those concerned.
§ Mr. FlanneryThe joy on the Opposition Benches as a result of my hon. Friend's answer is quite obvious to all my hon. Friends. I ask my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, from whom I recently received a curt reply to a letter, to realise that there is demoralisation among the Chilean community in this country about the slowness of the granting of visas compared with the position some months ago, and that the chief adjudicator and the Glasgow adjudicator have actually called members of the Socialist Party of Chile Communist agitators.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonWhat about the Soviet Union?
§ Mr. FlanneryI hope that my right hon. Friend will listen to what is being said from the Opposition Benches. The adjudicators have said that members of the Socialist Party of Chile are Communist agitators. They have used this deep political bias as a reason for not allowing into this country honest political refugees from the Fascist Government of Chile. I ask my hon. Friend to take steps—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman is just coming to a conclusion. Mr. Flannery.
§ Mr. FlanneryDoes my right hon. Friend realise that those who are expressing their joy on the Opposition Benches were wholeheartedly opposed to the democracy of the Allende Government in Chile? Will he help these refugees—
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonGo back to Russia.
§ Mr. FlanneryWill my right hon. Friend help these refugees, who are in danger of death, to come to this country?
§ Mr. HefferOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker—
§ Mr. SpeakerWill the hon. Gentleman wait until after Questions?
§ Mr. HefferNo, Mr. Speaker, I shall not wait. On every occasion that Chile is mentioned we get jeers and catcalls from the Opposition Benches that indicate that Opposition Members are totally Fascist in their attitude. When we raise the matter we are asked "Why don't you go back to Russia?" We are getting a little tired of Opposition Members using such occasions—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. There is deep feeling in the House on this issue. Perhaps it is not for me to say this, but I regard the hon. Gentleman as a very good House of Commons man. Perhaps he will now come to his point of order.
§ Mr. HefferI am asking for your protection, Mr. Speaker. For my hon. Friends, this matter is not a joke. The House is a democratic institution and my hon. Friends and I are concerned—even if Opposition Members are not—with democracy in every part of the world—Russia, Chile, and everywhere else. We are sick and tired of being subjected to barrages of animal noises by Opposition Members when we raise these matters. [Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerThe House knows that from time to time there are shouts from both sides. There are issues on which people feel very deeply. We must now try to get on with our business. I believe that the Minister was about to reply.
§ Dr. SummerskillI shall make two quick replies to two of the points raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery). The nature of immigration control in this country is different from that of most other countries, in that we rely on control before or at entry, and not after entry. Under our process, which I think my hon. Friends prefer, people are certain of their status when they enter the country.
Secondly, my right hon. Friend would not be right to make any comment on the comments made by adjudicators when he is frequently one of the parties to the appeal being decided. However, my right hon. Friend has been in the Chamber and has heard the criticisms made. I am sure that the adjudicators will be aware of them, too.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyIs the hon. Lady aware that we on the Opposition Benches, and probably those in other parts of the House, prefer to have a country in which people are not required to have passes that they must produce to the police to show that they are in the right place or right part of the country? We prefer to continue with a system where entry is checked before arrival.
§ Dr. SummerskillThat is exactly what I am saying. I am glad that the hon. Gentleman agrees. Nevertheless, it is regrettable that the refugees are submitted to any delay. My right hon. Friend is examining the procedure.