§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether those applicants in Bangladesh, seeking entry to the United Kingdom on the basis of being British citizens, will continue to enjoy priority when new tests to ascertain family relationship are introduced; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarPresent queueing arrangements will be unaltered. As at present those with a potential claim to the right of abode will be placed in queue 1.
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what authority he has introduced a fee of £25 for those seeking entry clearance to settle in the United Kingdom; on what authority he has introduced a fee of £12 for those seeking entry clearance to visit the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarThe new fees were introduced by means of The Consular Fees (Amendment) Order 1985 No. 1984 made under the Consular Fees Act 1980, as was required by that legislation. The Act does not provide for any parliamentary procedure in relation to orders made under it.
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in those cases where applicants seeking entry clearance to settle in the United Kingdom are shown on a single passport, each applicant will be required to pay the new fee of £25; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarWhen Members of a family are travelling on a single passport and made a joint application, only one fee is payable.
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if any news release was issued in Bangladesh, on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, concerning the announcement made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar) about blood tests being 36W required by British citizen children seeking to enter the United Kingdom from Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what consultation took place between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Bangladesh prior to the announcement made in Bangladesh by the Parliamentary under-Secretary of State concerning the requirement of British citizen children, seeking to enter Britain from Bangledesh, to undergo blood tests to prove paternity.
§ Mr. EggarNo news release was issued. Prior to the announcement I had disclosed to the Bangladesh Home Minister and Home Secretary and said that we were intending to carry out an experimental scheme in Dhaka using the DNA fingerprinting techniques.
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information was issued by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State during his visit to Bangladesh, concerning the requirement of British citizen children to prove paternity by blood test; on what date; and in what form.
§ Mr. EggarChildren with an established claim to British citizenship do not require entry clearance.
At my press conference at Dhaka airport on 10 January I said that we were intending to introduce an experimental scheme using DNA techniques. The technique would establish parentage in entry clearance applications where this is at issue. In response to questions I emphasised that the results of the experimental scheme would be assessed before any decision was taken to introduce the technique more generally. I stressed that participation would be entirely voluntary.
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he proposes to make available the text of the announcement made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State concerning the requirement of British citizen children, seeking to leave Bangladesh to join their fathers in the United Kingdom, to prove paternity by undergoing a blood test.
§ Mr. EggarThis was not a formal statement and there is no official verbatim record of the press conference.
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on what facilities exist in Bangladesh for carrying out blood tests to prove paternity, the average cost of such tests and what qualifications will be required by Her Majesty's Government of those carrying out such tests; and what information he has as to how many such people are available in Bangladesh.
§ Mr. EggarAn experimental scheme only is envisaged. Blood samples will be taken by qualified medical personnel. A British doctor will be joining the high commissioner's staff later this year. The samples will be tested in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) from what date British citizen children, seeking to enter the United Kingdom from Bangladesh, will be required to prove paternity by blood tests;
(2) whether any tests to prove paternity, taken by British citizen children seeking to enter the United Kingdom from Bangladesh, will be taken on a voluntary basis.
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§ Mr. EggarThe parentage tests will be carried out on a voluntary basis. A definite date has not yet been fixed for the start of the experimental scheme. It is hoped that it may take place in April.
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, following the return from Bangladesh of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State he will make a statement concerning the announcement that British citizen children, seeking to enter Britain from Bangladesh, will be required to prove paternity by blood test.
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the announcement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State during a visit to Bangladesh, that British citizen children in Bangladesh seeking to join their fathers settled in the United Kingdom will be required to prove paternity by blood test, represents Government policy; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarMy hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Home Office, and I are agreed that it is desirable that a DNA experimental scheme should be carried out in Dhaka to establish the acceptability of DNA fingerprinting as a means of establishing parentage for immigration purposes. If this scheme were to be successful a decision will be taken on the further use of this technique.