§ Mr. Laurie Pavitt (Brent, South)With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, I beg leave to present a petition on behalf of one of my constituents, Najat Chafee. I know that it will be heard with your understanding and compassion and that of all hon. Members present. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman the Home Secretary will take a similar attitude. It is a token petition. Ten thousand signatures are being collected, but, because of the rising of the House, it has been necessary to present the petition this morning. The petition reads:
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.The humble Petition of residents of the London Borough of Brent, friends of Najat Chafee, and othersSheweth,That Najat Chafee came to Britain in 1979 following her marriage to Hassain Ghaulan, and gave birth to a child in July 1980,That following her husband's consistently violent behaviour towards her she finally left him to live in a Women's Aid refuge, That her husband has now been deported,That she would in all likelihood suffer destitution and further violence if she too were deported to Morocco,Wherefore your Petitioners pray that Najat Chafee is not deported to Morocco but is given the right of permanent residence in Britain.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.
§ To lie upon the Table.