§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Minister of State's reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West on 16 July about repatriation, whether he will take steps to refuse re-entry to the United Kingdom to those who have been assisted to return to their country of origin.
§ Mr. WhitelawNo; but a person would have to qualify for re-entry under the immigration rules. The rules already provide that—except as regards Commonwealth citizens 383W settled here when the Immigration Act 1971 came into force—previous residence is not a qualification for re-entry if a person received assistance from public funds towards the cost of leaving.