§ Mr. William Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proposals he has to increase staff at the immigration appeals office in Birmingham, in view of the fact that appeals are now being listed for hearing in June 1980;
- (2) in view of long delays in deciding to grant or refuse British citizenship applications, what proposals he has to increase the staff of his nationality division;
- (3) what proposals he has to increase the staff of his nationality division in order to reduce the delays in granting or refusing naturalisation applications.
§ Mr. WhitelawI am arranging some increase in the staff of the nationality division, in view of the delays in dealing with applications for naturalisation and registration. But the need to contain public expenditure limits what can be done, and I am unable at present to increase the resources at the immigration appeals office in Birmingham.