London, 30 January 1971
Confidential
I took up with the Home Office Mr Gorton’s point about the segregation of British and other passport holders at Immigration Control. The answer is that the effect of merging the two streams would be to deprive British passport holders, who are not subject to the control of the advantage of swift passage through Immigration Control. They are contemplating, as a second best, a special arrangement, when the new Immigration Bill comes into force, for Commonwealth citizens with a parent or grandparent born in the United Kingdom.
I think we might have another go at this. It should not be beyond the wit of those in charge of Immigration Control to devise a method whereby the streams were divided at the check-point rather than before it was reached. We may be told that this is a non–starter; but we shall have established the point that this is to be taken seriously.
1 Heath’s marginal note reads: ‘I agree. A solution really must be found quickly. Every other country has found one.’
[UKNA: PREM .15/442]