§ Mr. Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will give the latest figure of Hungarian refugees who have been granted asylum in this country; how many of these refugees, up to 31st March last, returned to Hungary; and how many since then have made application to return home;
(2) what is the average rate of requests he is receiving from Hungarian refugees to return home; what help and assistance he gives; and to what extent the Hungarian Government or its representatives in this country are placing any obstacles in the way of these refugees returning to their country of birth.
§ Mr. R. A. Butler21,667 Hungarian refugees have come to the United Kingdom since 28th October, 1956; of these, 14,710 are still here. I understand that by 31st March, 1957, 477 had returned to Hungary, and that a further 737 have done so since. The grant of permission to return to Hungary is a matter for the Hungarian authorities; I have no reason to suppose that it is, in general, withheld.