§ 32. Sir R. Thompsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Commonwealth citizens entered the United Kingdom as visitors in 1972; and how many of these were allowed to remain permanently, after overstaying their permitted temporary residence.
§ Mr. Lane566,690 Commonwealth citizens entered the United Kingdom as visitors in 1972. Records of those subsequently allowed to settle are kept according to the year such an application is granted and not to the year of entry, but they represent only a very small percentage—less than 1 per cent. in 1972—of the Commonwealth visitors for the year. It is not possible without disproportionate effort to say how many of them overstayed before being given permission to remain here.