§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the usual practice adopted by his Department concerning the admission of wives and relatives of husbands now resident in the United Kingdom but born in other countries where such wives are additional to the first wife still existing and the relatives' children are born from other than the first existing wife; and on what grounds he permits a man to bring in four wives and 12 children.
§ Dr. SummerskillPractice is governed by the Immigration Act 1971 and the Immigration Rules. These provide for the admission for settlement of someone who is the wife or the dependent child of a sponsor already settled in the United Kingdom, subject only to the possession of the necessary entry clearances and in certain cases to the availability of support and accommodation.
A wife's entitlement stems from a marriage which is valid under the law of this country. While ultimately only a court can decide whether a marriage that has taken place overseas is valid in United Kingdom law, it is my understanding that a marriage will be recognised as valid, even if polygamous, provided that it was one that each of the parties had the capacity to contract under the law of his or her domicile, and the marriage was a valid one under the law of the territory where it was contracted.
Any dependent children of such a valid marriage, whether or not polygamous may also lawfully claim settlement.