§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of Slate for the Home Department what proportion of applications for permanent settlement in the United Kingdom from citizens of the New Commonwealth and Pakistan has been accepted in each of the last 11 years; and if he will express this proportion in terms of total numbers and as a percentage.
§ Mr. RaisonThe only information readily available relates to applications for entry clearance for immediate settlement from people in the Indian Subcontinent since the beginning of 1977. The number of grants and refusals of such entry clearances is published annually in the Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics"—table 6 of the latest issue for 1980, Cmnd. 8199, published in May 1981. This table shows that during 1980, 30 per cent. of the applications dealt with were refused.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of Slate for the Home Department if he has any plans to review the current immigration rules.
§ Mr. RaisonWe are at present considering what changes in the rules will be required when, as we hope, the British Nationality Act 1981 is brought into force on 1 January next year.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now introduce a quota system in order to control effectively all future immigration into the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. RaisonImmigration for settlement is already tightly and effectively controlled in accordance with the revised immigration rules laid before Parliament in February 1980. The Government believe that proposals for a quota system would depend upon the introduction of a register. We do not foresee the opportunity for legislation on these matters arising in the near future though it remains our intention to assess more accurately the scale of potential immigration for settlement.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received from members of the ethnic minorities concerning the current levels of immigration from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what representations he has received from members of the indigenous population concerning the current levels of immigration from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RaisonWe receive representations urging both the tightening and the relaxation of the control of immigration.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from each 453W country of the New Commonwealth and Pakistan are currently seeking to enter the United Kingdom for the purpose of permanent settlement; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RaisonThe only information which is readily available relates to those applying in the Indian Subcontinent. The numbers of applications for entry clearance for immediate settlement and the numbers awaiting a decision are published quarterly in Home Office Statistical Bulletins—tables 5 and 6 of the latest issue No. 26/81 published on 24 November 1981—which are placed in the Library of the House. In addition there were on 30 September 1981 about 4, 800 United Kingdom passport holders in India whose applications for special vouchers awaited processing.