§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in view of the fact that his Department issued instructions between 1974 and 1976 that gynaecological inspection of selected immigrants should cease, why these inspections continued until recently; who was responsible; and what action has been or will be taken against those responsible for failing to carry out Ministerial instructions.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesRequests like the one made recently by an immigration officer at Heathrow have not previously been forbidden in instructions to the Immigration Service. No question of action in respect of breach of any instructions therefore arises.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the Government's declared policy of making background papers available to hon. Members, what background papers are available on which his Department based its decision to authorise immigration control officers to conduct gynaecological tests on certain virgin immigrants; and whether he will make these papers available to hon. Members.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesNo such decision was taken and there are no papers to be made available. The reasons for the request made by an immigration officer for a medical inspection by a doctor in the recent case at Heathrow have already been fully explained.