MOD file DEFE 24/2032/1

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1347 Written
include persons detained on 'com-
pletion of a sentence of imprisonment.
(4) No information is readily av t-
able about the average time spen in
custody prior to deportation by pe ons
who had not been imprisoned or a
criminal offence.
(5) The longest period fo
such a person in custody.
October 1977 had been held
1971 Act awaiting depo
301 days.
(6) There is considera e variation
in the circumstances of hose held to
await deportation after s ving custodial
sentences. The only inf rmation readily
available relates to 4 people dis-
charged from Penton 1lle prison in the
first half of 1977: is shows that a
quarter of those recommended for
deportation spent ess than 21 days
in custody betwe the completion of
their sentence an their deportation; a
half spent 43 d 'S or less; and three-
quarters spent 6 days or less.
(7) Unconvi ed prisoners, including
those detain under the provision
of the 1971 ~ct, can apply to make
personal te phone calls within the
United Ki gdom for the following
purposes:
(a) ~ urgent domestic reasons,
(b) t clear up immediate business
proble s,
(c) o consult a solicitor,
(d to arrange bail securities,
(e to contact a national repre-
sen tive at an Embassy etc.
(8 A request for assistance for a
visit to a detainee would be considered
on he same basis as for a visit to a
re and prisoner.
UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS
The Earl of CLANCARTY asked Her
Majesty's Government:
Whether they are aware that
Mon~ieur Robert Galley, the then
French Minister of Defence, in his
radio interview OJ< the France-Inter
radio on 21st Februarv 1974 stated that
the gendarmerie are· playing a very
large;, part in ofikial investigations into
unidentified flying object sightings and
alle!!ed landin!!3: and whether our
poli'l:e have be~n likev.ise otftcially
A11swers 1348
instructed to collect reports and in-
vestigate these unidentified · flying
objects.
Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH:
The Government has no knowledge of
either the radio interview to which the
Question refers, or the role played by the
gendarmerie in investigating unidentified
flying objects. The police in tqis country
have not been asked to collect reports of,
or in.vestigate, unidentified flying objects.
The jurisdiction and powers of the police
are normally confined to terrestrial activi-
ties, but I have every confidence that
should an occasion arise where there is
evidence that an unidentified flying object
has landed within a police area, the police
force concerned will investigate it with its
customary vigour. However, until there
is some clear indication that the frequency
of such occurrences is likely to impose a ·
significant burden on the police, I doubt
whether it would prove fruitful to issue
guidance on this subject.
" A STUDY OF EXMOOR "
Lord NORTHFIELD asked
Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make a State ent
on Lord Porchester's Report A tudy
of Exmoor.
Baroness STEDMAN: As t e House
was informed on 6th April la , my right
honourable friends the Seer ary of State
for the· Environment and t e Minister of
Agriculture, Fisheries and ood appointed
Lord Porchester to und ake a study of
changes in the moor nd areas of the
Exmoor National Pa , because they felt
that the exceptional 1aracter of the moor
as a national her' age and the need to
balance and safeg ard the various interests
concerned calle or special and immediate
study.
My right nourable friends are greatly
indebted to ord Porchester for the fair
and expe tious way in which he has
conducte the Survey and prepared his
report. his was published yesterday and
copies re available in the Printed Paper
Office
T e report establishes that since 1947
the otal area of moorland in the National
P k has been reduced by some 12,000
Within the Cri1ica1 Amenity Area
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