HL Deb 12 April 1994 vol 553 c90WA
Viscount Brentford

asked Her Majesty"s Government:

Whether there are any proposals for introducing visas for Commonwealth citizens who are at present exempt from visas when travelling to the United Kingdom.

Earl Ferrers

The European Commission has put forward proposals to give effect to Article 100c of the Treaty of Rome, which provides for the determination of the third countries whose nationals must he in possession of a visa when crossing the external frontiers of the member states. These proposals include a visa requirement for a number of Commonwealth countries whose nationals at present do not need United Kingdom visas.

In early discussions of these proposals, we have made clear our view that such a wide-ranging extension of visa requirements is not justified.