§ Mr. Laneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the Government's instructions to United Kingdom entry clearance staff in the Indian subcontinent, in the context of the current reinforcement of their numbers, about the thoroughness with which the applications of dependants for entry to the United Kingdom are to be verified.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsThe reinforcement of the staff of some entry clearance offices in the Indian subcontinent is intended to reduce the time for which dependants have to wait before clearance is issued. The duty of entry clearance officers to satisfy themselves of the genuineness of applications remains unchanged. All applications are examined most carefully.
§ Mr. Laneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the levels and trends of immigration to the United Kingdom from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978, compared with previous forecasts, as a result of the reinforcement of entry clearance staff at diplomatic posts.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsAs the hon. Member knows, it has not been the practice to give estimates of future entry since any426W estimate may well be falsified by subsequent changes in a wide variety of factors. I do not propose any change in this regard.