§ Mr. Churchillasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British subjects on reentering the United Kingdom in the course of the first three weeks of February 1976 had their passports removed; and how many have since been returned.
§ Mr. Rowlands53 mercenaries surrendered their passports on returning to this country of which nine have been given back. The number of passports withdrawn from British subjects repatriated at public expense during February is not yet known.
§ Mr. Churchillasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what grounds and by what authority passports of returning British subjects have been withdrawn in the course of the first three weeks of February; and what conditions have been imposed for their return.
§ Mr. RowlandsI would refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 24th February to the hon. Member for Halesowen and Stourbridge (Mr. Stokes) and the hon. Member for Hampstead (Mr. Finsberg).—[Vol. 906, c. 134–55.]
§ Mrs. Knightasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many passports were confiscated from British citizens returning to 420W Great Britain in February 1976; and on what grounds.
§ Mr. Rowlands53 mercenaries surrendered their passports on returning to this country. The number of passports withdrawn from persons repatriated at public expense during February is not yet known. The list of categories of persons to whom passports are refused or from whom they may be withdrawn, given to the House on 15th November 1974, included: in very rare cases, a person whose past or proposed activities are so demonstrably undesirable that the grant or continued enjoyment of passport facilities would be contrary to the public interest; and a person repatriated at public expense, until the debt has been repaid.