As for a statement on HMG's policy; I cannot do better than refer you to David Ennals' answer to John Biggs-Davison's Question on 21 January 1975, shortly after the re-introduction of the policy of returning illegal immigrants to China, and to his answer to Robin Cook's Question on 12 February 1976 about
I enclose the relevant extracts from the criteria applied. Hansard.
Yours sincerely
J.
(Evan Luard)