HL Deb 06 May 1982 vol 429 cc1343-4WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have yet had an opportunity of considering the suggestion made in the debate on the British Nationality (Amendment) Regulations 1982 on 5th April in Col. 74 that the telephone inquiries dealing with both nationality and immigration might be routed through a single switchboard, so that variations in workload between the two divisions will not mean that calls take over an hour to answer.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Elton)

Staff responsible for immigration flatters do not have the knowledge and training to answer nationality inquiries nor do nationality staff have the knowledge and training to deal with immigration inquiries. For this reason I do not consider it practicable to route both kinds of telephone inquiries through a single switchboard.