§ VISCOUNT BERTIE OF THAME rose to ask His Majesty's Government how many aliens who have been deported at any time have applied during the last six months to have their deportation orders revoked; how many such orders have during that time been revoked; the reason for revocation; the nationalities of such deportees and the nature of their offences; and to move for Papers.
§
The noble Viscount said: My Lords, although I always try to follow the old adage, "Believe nothing you hear and only half you see," I have been tempted, on reading an article in the Sunday Dispatch of June 5, on the influx of undesirable aliens, to put down a Question on the subject. The article reads:
Growing Army of Alien Invaders.
350 Undesirables ' Return.
Aliens deported within the last few years are making desperate efforts to get back to this country.
In the last two months about 350 have succeeded in getting the barrier against them removed.
All of them are men and women who were found to be 'undesirables.' Many of them have convictions in this country as well as abroad.
Presumably the applications for a lifting of the ban are made to the Home Office on compassionate or business grounds.
293
On closer investigation I have been informed that, although there has not been the influx which, to my mind, the article suggests, but which, I must admit, it does not actually say, yet it is said that a great number of these undesirables have taken the first step to come into this country again by getting deportation orders made against them revoked, and I believe these revocations are contained in police orders. If that is so, perhaps my noble friend Lord Lucan will be able to lay those police orders on the Table, so that those of your Lordships who are interested in this matter may examine them.
§
There was also an article in the last issue of the Sunday Dispatch to which I may also draw the attention of the noble Earl. It is headed:
Cocaine Sold Openly.
Drinks until 6 a.m. for Pyjama-clad Girls and Men.
West End night clubs of the type which flagrantly broke the law and were stamped out in London, are not dead. They have merely moved.
Instead of being housed in basement premises and yards around Piccadilly Circus, these 'speak-easy ' clubs are now flourishing on the banks of the Thames from Henley to Kingston. They are making fortunes for their proprietors, who in 90 per cent. of cases are foreigners.
One man who is running a club on the river, has owned premises which were raided six times in London. Three years ago he was deported, but was later allowed to return to England.
It would be interesting to know on what grounds such a ruffian was allowed to come back to this country. The article goes on:
One I visited had raftered roofs and large fireplaces, and breathed a typical 'Old English ' atmosphere in its fittings. Its proprietor and its waiters were to a man foreigners—and so was the genius of the cocktail bar.
And all this, my Lords, is happening at a time when we are suffering from the most terrible unemployment amongst our own people. I beg to move.
§ THE EARL OF LUCANMy Lords, I am afraid the noble Viscount has been rather too credulous in believing everything he reads in a newspaper. Although it is quite impossible to go into all the records of deportation orders for many years back, I can tell him that at the Home Office there is no record of any 294 such deportation order having been revoked during the last six months. The noble Viscount mentioned police orders. I am told that it is doubtful if there are such orders, and I am certain that any question of a deportation order would come to the Home Office, and the Home Office have no recollection of the granting of any such applications during the last six months.
§ VISCOUNT BERTIE OF THAMEI thank the noble Earl for his answer, and in the circumstances I will withdraw my Motion.
§ Motion for Papers, by leave, withdrawn.