HC Deb 29 January 1988 vol 126 cc396-7W
Mr. Soames

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the effects 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. Renton

The 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.