§ Mr. Arthur Lathamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the relative importance which he attaches to virginity in considering applications for immigration to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI have given instructions that immigration officers are not to ask the medical inspector to examine passengers with a view to establishing whether they have borne children or have had sexual relations. But whether a woman is married or has borne children may be relevant to her entitlement to enter this country.
§ Mr. David Youngasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he 377W will make a statement on the recent decision of an immigration officer to refer a woman for medical tests to establish whether she was a virgin.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesI would refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Barking (Miss Richardson) and Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 5 February.—[Vol. 962, c. 1–2.]