§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD WALSTONMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many representations during the past ten years have been made to the Home Secretary by or on behalf of aliens who have been refused permission to enter the United Kingdom; and in how many of these cases the decision of the immigration officer has been overruled.]
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (EARL BATHURST)My Lords, I very much regret that the information which the noble Lord requires is not available.
§ LORD WALSTONMy Lords, could the noble Earl tell us whether there have in fact been any appeals of the kind mentioned in the Question, and whether the lack of information is caused simply because no records are kept of them?
EARL BATHURSTMy Lords, it may interest the noble Lord to know that he is in fact the only Member of the Houses of Parliament who has ever asked for this particular information. I take it, therefore, that there would not be very great purpose in compiling the information which would provide the answer which the noble Lord would like. I can tell him that from 1952 until 1961 there were 12½ million aliens who came into the country, and that, out of that number, about one in six hundred were refused admission; but I am afraid that that does not help the noble Lord very much.