Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government at what stage would an individual who is both (1) a member of a Lebanese parliament or the government of Lebanon, and (2) a member of a political organisation connected with Hezbollah, be informed that they would, under the provisions of the Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2019, be denied access to the UK as a participant at the Inter-Parliamentary Union and other conferences in the UK.

Where it is known that an individual seeking entry to the UK is a member of an organisation proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000, their application for entry clearance can be refused under Part 9 of the Immigration Rules on the basis that their character, conduct or associations make it undesirable to grant them entry to the UK. Applications for leave to enter at the border can be refused on the same grounds.

Individuals may also be excluded from the UK on the basis that it is conducive to the public good.

Members of a foreign government coming to the UK on the official business of their government are exempt from immigration control under section 8(2) of the Immigration Act 1971 and cannot ordinarily be refused entry under the non-conducive provisions of the Immigration Rules, unless the Secretary of State has directed under Article 4(a) of the Immigration (Exemption from Control) Order 1972 that the person shall not be exempt from the provisions of the 1971 Act.