§ 40. Sir Peter Blakerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the average annual number of Soviet citizens granted visas to visit the United Kingdom during the last 15 years; what is the average duration of such visas; and how these figures compare with the number of visas granted to United Kingdom citizens visiting the Soviet Union.
§ Mr. RifkindThe annual numbers of Soviet citizens admitted to this country from 1970 to 1983 are as follows:
Numbers 1970 5,889 1971 5,480 1972 4,717 1973 6,272 1974 7,401 1975 8,443 1976 9,397 1977 10,472 1978 11,294 1979 10,379 1980 8,674 1981 10,056 1982 10,371 1983 7,558 Nearly all these were short visits of 30 days or fewer. British citizens are not required to notify United Kingdom authorities of their intention to travel to the Soviet Union or to any other country. We therefore have no information of Soviet entry visas granted to British citizens.
§ Rev. Martin Smythasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will seek a further opportunity to raise with the Soviet Foreign Minister the cases of Ida Nudel and Vladimir Slepak and others who have been waiting for many years for exit visas to join family and friends outside the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
§ Mr. RifkindMy right hon. and learned Friend has raised the question of human rights with Mr. Gromyko on each occasion he has had talks with him. We will continue to remind the Soviet authorities of their human rights commitments at every suitable opportunity. The cases of Ida Nudel and Vladimir Slepak are well known to us. Mrs. Nudel's case has been raised with the Soviet Union at ministerial level on several occasions.