asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many experienced immigration officers have been sent to reinforce the staff in certain posts overseas since the statement of 4th February, 1965.

Six, of whom one was seconded for only three months and has now returned.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman see whether this figure cannot be sharply increased? Does he realise that stopping Commonwealth immigrants at the ports and airports to the extent which he indicated in his last Answer represents considerable personal tragedy for those involved and that the best way of dealing with this is to do the screening overseas?

I realise that. The officers posted are full-time officers and the posts to which they have been sent have been carefully selected.