§ 12. Mr. Meadowcroftasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implications of recent changes in immigration policy for matters within his responsibility.
§ Mr. RentonRecent changes in immigration policy have concerned the imposition of a visa regime on Sri Lanka and the introduction of changes in the immigration rules. Both these subjects were debated in the House last night. These changes have caused or will cause an increase in entry clearance work overseas.
§ Mr. MeadowcroftHas the Minister had the opportunity to read the report in the Official Report of the speech of the hon. Member for Bedfordshire, North (Mr. Skeet), who argued with some emotion that we are dealing with individuals and not statistics? Is he aware that queues in the different capitals and entry clearance posts in the subcontinent are likely to lengthen? Surely this is an inhumane way of dealing with the problem of immigration. Applicants are having to wait for 12 months and more for interviews. Will he accept that it is desperately important to consider humanely the possibility of applicants being interviewed far more quickly?
§ Mr. RentonWe must accept that if there is a change in the immigration rules which allows another new category to apply for entrance to the United Kingdom—for example, the husbands of women who are now settled in this country but not British citizens—there will be an increase in entry clearance work. We shall do our best within the resources available to us to ensure that the delays in the queues are kept to a minimum. We shall consider the possibility of equalising queue lengths between different countries in the Indian subcontinent.
§ Mr. StokesIs my hon. Friend aware that, contrary to the views of all the Opposition parties, including the Liberal party, the vast majority of people, including many immigrants, respect the Government's immigration policies as being firm and fair?
§ Mr. RentonI very much appreciate my hon. Friend's point. When I was on the Indian subcontinent earlier this year and had the chance to see the entry clearance officers at work in Pakistan and Bangladesh, I came strongly to the conclusion that they try to apply the immigration rules as fairly and decently as possible.