asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish figures showing the number of Iranians who have been admitted to the United Kingdom since September 1979 and the purposes for which leave to enter was granted.
Figures for the fourth quarter of 1979 are given below for the same categories as those given in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) on 19 December 1979—[Vol. 976, c. 224–6.] I shall place the figures for the first quarter of 1980 in the Official Report when they become available in June.
| Iranians admitted to the United Kingdom by purpose of journey—fourth quarter 1979 | |
| Number of journeys | |
| Total admitted | 29,073 |
| Visitors given leave to enter for less then 12 months | |
| ordinary | 18,747 |
| business | 2,077 |
| Passengers in transit | 4,143 |
| Diplomats and dependants | 51 |
| Work permit holders and dependants | 23 |
| Others given leave to enter | 67 |
| Those admitted for marriage | 7 |
| Accepted for settlement on arrival | 41 |
| Returning from temporary absence abroad | 3,278 |
| Students | 639 |
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iranian nationals entered the United Kingdom in each of the last two years; and what were the purposes of their visits.
The information requested is published annually in the Command Paper " Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom " (table 1(b) of the issue for 1979, Cmnd 7875).