asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, in the case of which details have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Stafford, he is not prepared to grant a visa for a longer period than two months to an Italian citizen desirous of marrying an Englishwoman who cannot leave this country for compassionate reasons.

If I allow a foreigner to come here for a limited visit so that his fiancee may be married in her own country, it does not follow that he ought to be allowed to stay and settle here. In the case now in question, if the man is offered suitable employment I should be prepared to consider allowing him to prolong his stay in order to take it.

Can the Home Secretary say why I was informed by his Department that the chance of this Italian citizen getting a labour permit was remote, and that this man could not come here for more than two months, unless he gave an undertaking that he would return to Italy?

Because there has been a change in our attitude towards this type of case in recent days.