London, 4 February 1971
Thank you for your letter of 28 January about the segregation of United Kingdom and other passport holders at certain of our ports and airports.1
The Prime Minister finds it very difficult to accept the argument that it is not possible to do away with segregation. Other countries appear to have found solutions to this problem, and do not segregate streams of immigrants in this way. He thinks that it cannot be beyond the wit of those in charge of the Immigration Control to devise a method whereby the streams are in effect divided at the checkpoint rather than before the checkpoint is reached. He has commented: ‘A solution really must be found, and quickly.’
1 Document 325.
[UKNA: PREM 15/442]