HC Deb 05 February 1981 vol 998 c162W
17. Mr. Sheerman

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reduce the waiting time of persons seeking British nationality.

Mr. Raison

The staff of the nationality division has been increased, but the continuing rise in the number of applications and the need to contain public expenditure limits what can be done. The number of naturalisation cases decided more than doubled in 1980 and there was also a substantial increase in the number of registration cases decided.