§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards repatriation.
§ Mr. RaisonAssistance is available from Government funds to those immigrants who genuinely wish to leave this country to live permanently overseas but who lack the means to make the move. We have no plans to change the present arrangements.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Horne Department what measures are taken by his Department to ensure that those persons who take advantage of section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971 do not subsequently re-enter the United Kingdom for the purpose of permanent residence; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RaisonPersonal particulars of heads of households and their dependants aged 14 years and over who receive assistance to return to their country of origin under section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971 are circulated to immigration officers at United Kingdom ports of entry. With the exception of Commonwealth citizens settled here when the Immigration Act came into force, passengers who received assistance from public funds towards the cost of leaving this country are specifically excluded from the provisions of the immigration rules under which returning residents are re-admissible for settlement within two years of departure.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether International Social Service of Great Britain and his Department advertise the provisions of section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971 to those who are eligible to take advantage of the repatriation scheme; by what method; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RaisonNeither International Social Service of Great Britain nor the Home Office has advertised the availability of repatriation assistance under section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971, but information about this has been made available to such bodies as local authorities, citizens advice bureaux and community relations councils, and to chief officers of police. It is not proposed to take any other action to publicise the repatriation scheme.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations his Department has received from persons who have taken or have attempted to take advantage of the provisions of section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether he has received any letters from potential repatriants under section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971, complaining that they are discouraged by International Social Service of Great Britain from taking advantage of 19W the Government's repatriation scheme, in addition to the letter referred to in oral questions on 20 May, Official Report, c. 461–62.
§ Mr. RaisonThe Department received over 300 letters last year containing inquiries about assistance with repatriation. I regret that it is not possible, without disproportionate effort, to identify which of these letters might be classified either as "representations" or as complaints. We are, however, satisfied that complaints of the kind referred to in my hon. Friend's second question are very rarely received.
§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Basildon of 24 May, Official Report, c. 219, concerning International Social Service of Great Britain, what are the numbers of persons who have taken advantage of section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971 in each of the past five years; which nationalities were involved; what numbers were attributable to each nationality in each of those years; and what were the countries of destination in each case.
§ Mr. RaisonThe number of persons assisted under the repatriation scheme operated under section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971 in each of the last five years is as follows:
1977–78 130 1978–79 178 1979–80 131 1980–81 139 1981–82 251 The information requested about the nationality and destination of those assisted cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.