§ Mr. Norman Atkinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what his policy is towards the granting of visas to the international membership of the World Peace Council to attend conferences in the United Kingdom;
(2) if he will make a statement as to the reason why he has refused representatives of the World Peace Council temporary admittance to the United Kingdom for the purpose of their attending a conference held in London on 26 and 27 January.
§ Mr. WhitelawOne representative of the World Peace Council, Mr. Romesh Chandra, sought entry to the United Kingdom to attend the conference held in London on 26 and 27 January and was refused leave to enter on my personal certification that his exclusion on that occasion would be conducive to the public good. He is a senior official of an organisation which is a disguised instrument of Soviet foreign policy.
The Government do not consider that it is in the national interest to allow free rein to the activities in the United Kingdom of leading officials of such organisations who are subject to immigration control. Applications for entry will be carefully considered on an individual basis.