§ 31. Mr. Douglas-Mannasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to repeal the retrospective provisions of the Immigration Act.
§ 32. Mr. Sedgemoreasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will take steps to secure an amnesty for all immigrants who entered the United Kingdom illegally before 1971;
(2) if he will introduce early legislation to remove the retrospective effects of the Immigration Act 1971.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsI am considering how to exercise the powers in the Immigration Act 1971 for the removal of illegal entrants. I hope to announce a decision shortly.
§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign husbands of United Kingdom citizens have applied for permission to settle in Great Britain; how many of these applications have been refused; and what factors are taken into account in allowing or refusing these applications.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsI regret that statistics are not kept in the form requested. The Immigration Rules provide for account to be taken, in determining applications, of any special considerations, whether of a family nature or otherwise, which render the husband's exclusion undesirable—for example, the degree of hardship which, in the particular circumstances of the case, would be caused if the wife had to live outside the United Kingdom in order to be with her husband. I am examining this question generally.