§ Sir T. Brintonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) why the application made in early November, 1969, by Miss Helen Chaplin, an Australian nursing sister, for extension of her permit to stay in England was not answered until 2nd February, 1970, and then only after intervention by the hon. Member for Kidderminster; and why Miss Chaplin's own reminder in December was neither answered nor acknowledged;
(2) why Miss Helen Chaplin's passport was retained by the Home Office 255W from November, 1969, till 2nd February; why the Home Office's ultimate reply and the passport were addressed not to Miss Chaplin but to the senior nursing officer at Queen Elizabeth Hospital; why no apology for the delay and inconvenience was offered; and if he will now reprimand those responsible and cause an appropriate apology to be sent.
§ Mr. CallaghanI much regret the delay in dealing with Miss Chaplin's application, which was due to pressure of work and the absence of staff on sick leave, and I also regret that the reply was inadvertently not sent to her personally. A letter of apology is being sent to Miss Chaplin.