HC Deb 10 December 1974 vol 883 cc101-2W
Mr. Eldon Griffiths

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many alients from Chile were admitted for residence in the United Kingdom in the years 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 and during the first nine months of 1974; how many were allowed in as political refugees; and how many of these were asked if they are or were members of Communist or Marxist parties in Chile.

Mr. Alexander W. Lyon

Following are the numbers of Chilean nationals who were admitted for settlement in 1970‣73 :

1970 13
1971 14
1972 9
1973 20

We have no record of the admission of a political refugee prior to the coup in September 1973. Since then, 348 Chilean refugees are known to have arrived in the United Kingdom, of whom 185 arrived in the first nine months of 1974. Admission is subject to personal acceptability, but it would not be in the public interest to give particulars of the screening procedures.