§ Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the Republic of Ireland is not considered by his Department as a foreign country; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Anthony Royle:I would refer my hon. Friend to the Ireland Act, 1949, and specifically to Section 2(1) of that Act. In view of the close interdependence of the Irish and British peoples, it has never been considered appropriate to impose upon the Irish all the restrictions and conditions which apply in the case of aliens.