Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take against the Greater London council following its decision to house an illegal immigrant from Bangladesh, Afia Begum; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. WaddingtonNone. It appears from the Press reports that the Leader of the GLC said that council accommodation would be offered if Afia Begum was granted leave to remain. No such leave has been granted.
Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the case of Afia Begum, an illegal immigrant from Bangladesh.
Mr. WaddingtonIn January 1982 Mrs. Afia Begum Hamid obtained entry clearance to join her husband in this country but later the same month her husband died in a fire. His body was returned to Bangladesh for burial and when Mrs. Afia Begum and her daughter arrived here in June 1982, leave to enter was refused because she no longer qualified to enter as a wife. She lodged an appeal and was granted temporary admission. Her appeal was dismissed by an independent adjudicator on 6 July 1982. After representations from a number of Members had been considered, arrangements were made for her to leave the country in July this year. She broke the terms of her temporary admission by failing to present herself at the airport and she is now here unlawfully. Efforts to trace her are continuing.