HC Deb 18 November 1976 vol 919 cc651-2W
17. Mr. Anthony Grant

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the report of the Franks inquiry into the feasibility of a register for the dependants of immigrants.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

I cannot give a date for publication, but I understand that the report has just been completed and I therefore expect to receive it very soon.

18. Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why a family from Zambia arriving at Heathrow Airport on 3rd November were permitted entry into the United Kingdom despite the fact that they had no contacts in the United Kingdom and very limited funds.

Dr. Summerskill

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the case of Mr. Shambmubhai Patel and his wife and two children who arrived at London Airport on 30th October. Mrs. Patel has the right of abode in this country under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971 and she is, therefore, free from immigration control. Under the Immigration Rules her accompanying husband and children were entitled to admission to this country with her for settlement and in these circumstances there could have been no question of refusing the family admission on the ground that they were unable to support themselves.

39. Mr. Mates

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds 9,642 Commonwealth citizens, who originally entered the United Kingdom on condition they remained for a limited period, were allowed to become permanent settlers between 1st January and 30th June 1976.

Dr. Summerskill

Of the 9,642, 4,683 were accepted for settlement by reason of their marriage to someone settled in the United Kingdom; and 3,042 because they had become immune from deportation by virtue of Section 7 of the Immigration Act 1971. The remaining 1,917 fulfilled various other criteria for settle- ment, mainly that of dependency as the children, parents or grandparents of someone already settled here.

19. Mr. Lawson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the numbers of people from the new Commonwealth, including Pakistan (a) admitted for settlement in the United Kingdom and (b) accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom by revocation of conditions in 1975 and 1976, the figure for 1976 being estimated on the basis of the latest available monthly totals calculated at an annual rate.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

During 1975, 34,510 citizens of the New Commonwealth and Pakistan, including non-patrial United Kingdom passport holders, were accepted for settlement on arrival and 18,755 were accepted for settlement on the removal of the time limit attached to their stay. The estimated figures, by normal statistical methods, for 1976 are 38,500 and 19,500 respectively.

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