HC Deb 27 January 1967 vol 739 cc383-4W
Sir C. Osborne

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that his High Holborn office is receiving 10,000 letters a week, thus delaying replies for months, what action he is taking to reduce the volume of this correspondence, or alternatively to deal with it more speedily.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

While I do not accept that delays of months in the Immigration and Nationality Department are normal, I am aware that correspondence has been held up for longer than I would wish: and I had already put a review in hand to see how the constantly mounting volume of work can best be tackled.

The volume of correspondence could only be reduced by relaxing controls on Commonwealth immigrants and aliens, a course which I do not understand the hon. Member to advocate.