§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD STRABOLGIMy Lords, I beg to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many persons are still interned without trial in Cyprus as a result of allegations made by anonymous informers, and if such informers receive financial payment.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS (THE EARL OF PERTH)My Lords, the answer to the first part of the noble Lord's Question is, None. I think, therefore, that the second part does not arise.
§ LORD STRABOLGIMy Lords, I beg to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government the reason why many British subjects in Cyprus are not able to obtain passports that are valid for longer than three months at a time, instead of the usual five years.]
§ THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, it is only on rare occasions that the validity of a passport issued in Cyprus is restricted to three months. This is done either for security reasons or, for example, because the holder of a lost passport is unable to await the result of the customary investigations.
§ LORD STRABOLGIMy Lords, I thank the noble Earl for that reply, and, arising out of it, I should like to ask him a further question. Would Her Majesty's Government not agree that these short-term passports are extremely inconvenient to business men who may wish to travel at short notice? Furthermore, I think it could also be embarrassing to the holder when the fact that it is a short-term passport is recorded in it and he has to hand in this passport to hotels not only in this country but also on the Continent.
§ THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, as I said, the occasions when this matter arises are rare. I appreciate the point which the noble Lord makes. If he has, in fact, in the light of these rare occasions, any particular case he would like to mention to me, I shall be glad to hear of the data.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, is there not a more important point? Do Her Majesty's Government now claim that they have a right on their own initiative to withhold a passport from a British citizen?
§ THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, put in that form, I think that is a question of which I should want notice. But, in general, I would say that it is the Governor who makes the decision on these matters.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, is the Governor then, acting on his own authority? Has he the right to withhold a passport from a qualified British citizen who applies for it? This is a new idea. Passports used to be given to citizens who applied for them.
§ THE EARL OF PERTHIf the noble Viscount would give me notice of the question in the proper form, I should be glad to answer it.