HL Deb 22 July 1980 vol 412 cc379-80WA
Lord AVEBURY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. (a) Whether they will carry out an investigation into the loss by the Deputy High Commission in Bombay of the passport of Mrs. V. M. Patel (No. J 877801, issued 9th July 1974), bearing in mind that evidence of registered posting was sent to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 14th February 1980, and that despite the denials of the Deputy High Commission that they have ever received the passport, they issued new passports to the children containing information which could only have been obtained from their mother's; and
  2. (b) Whether they are aware that because of the delays in handling this case, Mrs. Patel has lost her job with Murray, Son & Co. Limited, of Crouch End, London; and
  3. (c) Whether they are also aware that Mrs. Patel has lost the place reserved for her for in-patient treatment at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, again as a result of these delays; and
  4. (d) Whether they will deal immediately with the matters raised in letters to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 27th July 1979, 14th February 1980, 11th April 1980, 25th April 1980, 7th July 1980, and telephone calls of 12th June 1980 and 7th July 1980.

The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (Lord Carrington)

(a) There is no satisfactory evidence that the registered packet received by the Deputy High Commission contained Mrs. Patel's passport No. J 877801 or that the Deputy High Commission have ever received this passport separately. Only one of Mrs. Patel's children, Bharatkumar, has been issued with a passport by the Deputy High Commission. The information required to support the issue of this passport was obtained from Mrs. Patel's previous passport No. I 411603 and from the British High Commission in Dar es Salaam.

(b) No.

(c) No.

(d) The noble Lord has received a reply to all letters and telephone calls mentioned with the exception of his letter of 7th July to which a reply will be sent shortly.