§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the numbers of Soviet Jews who were allowed to emigrate during December 1986, and the total figure for that year.
§ Mr. RentonA total of 77 Jews were allowed to emigrate from the Soviet Union in December 1986. The figure for the whole year is 914.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the further tightening of regulations and on restrictions introduced this year which are designed to slow down the number of Soviet Jews who wish to emigrate.
§ Mr. RentonIn my recent discussions in Moscow I was told that the new rules on departure from the Soviet Union should substantially increase the numbers of those who can go abroad temporarily or permanently for family reasons. We shall watch developments closely, and continue to press for improvement.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the discussions he held with Mr. Yuri Kashlev, Head of Moscow's Department of Humanitarian and Cultural Relations, on the question of human rights and especially the plight of Soviet Jews; and whether there are any prospects of a more humanitarian attitude on these matters likely to be forthcoming this year.
§ Mr. RentonI expressed serious concern both to Deputy Minister Kovalev and to Ambassador Kashlev at the Soviet Government's human rights record and the low level of Jewish emigration. Ambassador Kashlev said he expected an increase in departures from the country. We shall have to see.