§ Sir S. Reedasked the Home Secretary why it is necessary to restrict permits to children of Northern Ireland residents, who are married and whose domicile is England, and children who work in England, to visit their parents, to one month in every six months?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonThe restrictions on travel between this country and Ireland were relaxed in November last with a view to removing hardship in certain cases, but as it continued to be necessary for security reasons to restrict travel between the two652W countries as far as possible the relaxation was limited to the grant of permits to allow persons to visit their homes in either country not more than once in any period of six months. In cases where parents reside in Northern Ireland and their children reside or are employed in this country it is, of course, open to the parents to visit their children once in any period of six months and to the children to make one visit to their parents in Ireland during the same period. The validity of alter et retour permits for temporary visits is normally limited in cases where the applicant informs the Permit Authorities that he desires it to be made valid for a longer period.