§ Mr. SoamesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the effects 397W of the imposition of visas on admissions and the refusals of those seeking entry as visitors from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Ghana; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RentonThe available information, comparing the first nine months of 1987 with the same period in 1986, for nationals of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Ghana is given in the following table. Corresponding figures are not given for Nigeria because visas were not introduced there until February 1987. Although there was no delay in
Visitors admissions and refusals 1986–87 Bangladesh India Pakistan Ghana Visitor admissions January to September 1986 9,280 141,090 69,590 21,120 January to September 19871 7,200 118,200 52,200 14,000 Initial refusals (all categories) at the ports January to September 1986 1,180 3,450 2,070 1,440 January to September 19872 1,080 660 390 480 Visitors refused entry clearance abroad January to September 1986 380 150 30 n/a January to September 1987 1,340 3,880 5,470 1,920 n/a—Not available. 1 Estimates based on admissions in January to August grossed up using the pattern of admissions in 1986. 2 Almost entirely persons who had arrived before mid-October 1986 but who, due to backlogs at the ports, were not 'initially refused' until 1987 (these refusals cannot be differentiated in the figures); and persons without a visa, for which there was no equivalent category of refusal in 1986.