HC Deb 22 November 1976 vol 919 cc917-8W
Mr. Lawrence

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants have been granted amnesty by the Government to date; and how many members of their families have subsequently been given permission to enter and settle in Great Britain.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

Up to 31st October 1976, 1,524 people had been given per- mission to remain permanently in this country in accordance with my predecessor's announcement, on 11th April 1974, that he would not use his powers to send away those Pakistan and Commonwealth citizens who entered the United Kingdom illegally before 1st January 1973. At the time their applications were granted these successful applicants declared that they had 4,572 dependants living abroad. It is not possible to identify separately within the total number of dependants given permission to settle here the dependants of illegal entrants whose position has been regularised.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants have been refused leave to enter the United Kingdom in accordance with directions laid down by immigration regulations during the last 12 months.

Dr. Summerskill

I would refer the hon. Member to "Control of Immigration Statistics, 1975" (Cmnd. 6450) for the most recent available figures of the number of Commonwealth citizens and foreign nationals refused leave to enter the United Kingdom. It is not possible to say how many of those had previously been dealt with on some previous occasion as illegal entrants or overstayers.

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