§ Mr. Will Owenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will take steps to examine the practice of the Allied Travel Office in Berlin and see if it is possible to remove the restrictions on East German citizens who wish to visit Great Britain or the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries for cultural, trade or scientific reasons but who find themselves being treated by the Allied Travel Office like Stateless persons; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. George ThomsonThe Allied Travel Office places no general restrictions on visits by East Germans in the categories mentioned to this country or other countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, provided that it is satisfied that the visits will be of a non-political nature. 1,468 visitors from East Germany came to this country last year; ten applications were refused. The main restrictions on travel from East Germany are by the East German authorities themselves.