§ Mr. Bidwellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many female, past or present, work permit holders in the United Kingdom are in danger of deportation following the Appeal Court decision in November 1979 concerning their children and their right of admission to the United Kingdom; and from which principal countries such 120W women were recruited to work in Great Britain;
(2) what representations he has received from the Transport and General Workers' Union on behalf of its women members who are at present or past work permit holders and who are now liable for deportation where the existence of children overseas has been disclosed and their entry to the United Kingdom applied for;
(3) what is the policy and attitude of his Department towards ex-migrant women workers in the United Kingdom affected by the Appeal Court decision in November 1979 concerning a child or children of such women; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RaisonThe judgment affects at least 150 cases. The majority involve people from the Philippines with several from Portugal and Colombia.
The judgment established that women who gained admission to this country by virtue of work permits obtained by deception as to the existence of dependent children are illegal entrants. It is the normal practice to send away people found to have entered illegally, but each case is being examined on its merits to see whether there are special compassionate circumstances justifying allowing the women to remain exceptionally.
We cannot trace having received representations from the Transport and General Workers' Union on the general issue.