asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the places of detention where immigrants refused entry into the United Kingdom are detained, and the average period of time they are held before a decision has been arrived at.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the Immigration (Places of Detention) Direction 1972 which gives the information requested in the first part of the Question. The information requested in the second part is not available, but in the great majority of cases where admission is refused removal is effected on the day of arrival.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants have received public assistance in order to return to their homelands in respect of the years 1971 to 1975 inclusive.

705 persons were assisted to leave the United Kingdom during this period under the provisions of Section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971. I regret that it is not possible without disproportionate expense to say whether the destination of choice was the homeland in each case. Assistance under the scheme operated by the Supplementary Benefits Commission is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.