§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he proposes to deal with over-age applicants from the Indian sub-continent(a) whose applications have already been refused on the grounds that they do not qualify under the immigration rules, (b) whose appeals have been dismissed on the above grounds and (c) whose appeals have been deferred pending his announcement on the use of DNA evidence in such cases.
§ Mr. RentonWhere an application for entry clearance has been refused, and any appeal dismissed, that application cannot be reopened. The case can be reconsidered only in the context of a fresh application for entry clearance.
Where a person previously refused entry clearance as a child on relationship grounds is able to establish relationship by means of DNA evidence, but is now over 18 and does not qualify for admission under paragraphs 55 or 56 of the immigration rules, the reapplication will be considered in accordance with the policy which my right hon. Friend announced on 14 June at column 463.
When an application for entry clearance or an appeal against refusal had not been finally determined by 14 June, the case will be reviewed in accordance with the terms of my right hon. Friend's statement (if applicable) without the need for a fresh application. In some such cases, it may be necessary to arrange a further interview by the entry clearance officer to establish the applicant's present circumstances before a decision can be reached.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) husbands, (b) wives and (c) dependent children have been refused (i) extension of stay and (ii) settlement in the United Kingdom on the grounds that the Secretary of State is not satisfied that they can be maintained and accommodated without recourse to public funds.
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§ Mr. RentonThe available information relating to after-entry cases is given in the following table. Information on dependent children is not readily available.
Decisions on husbands and wives applications in 1988 under HC 503 "Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules" Number Husbands Wives Refusals to grant initial extension of leave to remain on grounds of (i) Accommodation 7 2 (ii) Maintenance 8 4 (iii) Maintenance and accommodation 11 5 Refusals of settlement after the initial 12 months extension General considerations, including recourse to public funds (para 98 HC 503) 18 —
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for(a) single entry and (b) multiple entry visit visas were (1) received, (2) granted and (3) refused at each post in the Indian sub-continent, Ghana, Nigeria and Jamaica in each quarter of 1988 and the first quarter of 1989; and what was the delay between application and interview for those whose applications were felt to need a second or long
Total passenger admissions and those refused leave to enter and removed by selected nationalities Numbers First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Total Admissions Refused and removed Admissions Refused and removed Admissions Refused and removed Admissions Refused and removed Admissions Refused and removed 1987 Jamaica 5,910 54 6,880 45 12,300 61 6,430 109 31,600 269 Turkey 12,100 227 14,300 265 20,400 302 16,100 623 62,900 1,417 Morocco 3,070 96 3,430 105 8,510 324 4,720 275 19,700 800 United States of America 399,000 267 772,000 242 945,000 298 503,000 243 2,620,000 1,050 Australia 58,600 30 104,000 35 124,000 54 73,000 33 359,000 152 Malaysia 10,600 107 16,100 91 23,200 131 15,000 113 64,900 442 Hong Kong (BDTCs) 12,100 98 12,700 96 24,900 59 11,600 57 61,300 310 Guyana 890 12 1,240 3 2,500 8 1,060 4 5,680 27 Trinidad and Tobago 2,980 6 4,280 8 7,870 8 3,400 9 18,500 31 Colombia 2,980 67 5,070 110 6,710 80 3,510 85 18,300 342 Algeria 4,120 185 4,150 167 8,250 487 4,560 361 21,100 1,200 1988 Jamaica 5,760 82 6,900 95 11,700 116 6,300 131 30,600 424 Turkey 15,300 393 15,200 380 22,500 653 16,100 786 69,100 2,212 Morocco 3,070 166 3,630 294 8,020 649 4,620 353 19,400 1,462 United States of America 413,000 267 680,000 261 843,000 273 547,000 281 2,480,000 1,082 Australia 56,700 22 101,000 38 126,000 47 83,100 42 367,000 149 Malaysia 11,100 93 15,100 156 22,600 124 15,200 128 64,000 501 Hong Kong (BDTCs) 12,900 76 12,500 126 24,200 61 10,700 33 60,300 296 Guyana 870 7 1,190 5 2,340 8 1,230 7 5,640 27 Trinidad and Tobago 3,260 12 3,670 4 7,130 7 3,290 19 17,300 42 Colombia 3,070 89 4,830 193 5,940 126 3,510 111 17,300 519 Algeria 3,990 324 3,970 339 7,460 1,005 3,830 677 19,300 2,345
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1989 first quarter Admissions Refused and removed Jamaica 6,230 236 Turkey 17,000 618 Morocco 3,520 253 USA 442,000 261 Australia 72,400 35 Malaysia 12,400 93 Hong Kong (BDTCs) 14,500 33 Guyana 1,080 11 interview at each of the above posts in (i) June 1988, (ii) January 1989 and (iii) June 1989 or the nearest available date;
(2) how many applications for entry clearance in order to seek asylum in the United Kingdom were (a) received and (b) granted by country during 1988 and the first quarter of 1989.
§ Mr. RentonI shall write to the hon. Member and deposit a copy of the reply in the Library.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications from over-age reapplications from the Indian sub-continent seeking to join a sponsor settled in the United Kingdom have been(a) made, (b) deferred, (c) refused and (d) granted since 1986; and how many such reapplicants in each category had undergone successful DNA tests.
§ Mr. RentonThe information requested is not available centrally.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many nationals of(a) Jamaica, (b) Turkey, (c) Morocco, (d) the United States of America, (e) Australia, (f) Malaysia, (g) Hong Kong, (h) Guyana, (i) Trinidad, (j) Colombia and (k) Algeria were (i) granted and (ii) refused permission to enter the United Kingdom at ports of entry in each quarter since January 1987 to the nearest available date.
§ Mr. RentonThe information is given in the following table:
Admissions Refused and removed Trinidad and Tobago 3,260 18 Colombia 3,320 116 Algeria 4,120 391
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many notices have been issued to each airline under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) 1055W Act 1987 in each quarter since March 1988; how much money has accrued as a result; and how many such notices have been contested by each airline.
§ Mr. RentonInformation on the record of individual airlines under the Act is a matter of confidentiality. The total number of notices issued to carriers (ie airlines and sea operators) in each quarter since March 1988 was as follows:
Quarter ending Number of notices 30 June 1988 758 30 September 1988 1,415 31 December 1988 1,064 31 March 1989 1,345 30 June 89 1,616 Total 6,198 A total of £1.822 million has been received in respect of these notices, and representations have been made by carriers in 1,317 cases.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many outstanding immigration applications there are at Lunar house; what time savings in dealing with applications from(a) students, (b) family members in the United Kingdom applying for variation of stay, (c) settlement entry clearance applications referred from overseas posts and (d) asylum-seekers have been achieved by recent changes in procedures and practice; and what are the average times applicants in each category might expect to wait before a decision.
§ Mr. RentonI shall write to the hon. Member and deposit a copy of the reply in the Library.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were received into prison establishments under Immigration Act powers during(a) 1987 and (b) 1988, by individual prison establishment; what was the average daily population of persons so detained in each of those years; what was the average length of time spent in detention by persons so detained in each of those years; and whether he will give a breakdown by nationality of persons so detained for each of those years.
§ Mr. Peter LloydInformation about detainees received into prison service establishments in England and Wales under the Immigration Act 1971 in 1987 is given by establishment and nationality in the tables. Similar information for 1988 is not yet available.
The average population and the average length of detention of such detainees in prison service establishments in 1987 were published in tables 1.1 and 6.6 of "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (Cm. 547), a copy of which is in the Library. The average population in 1988 was 146. The average period of detention in 1988 is provisionally estimated as about seven weeks.
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Receptions of persons detained under the Immigration Act 1971 into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales in 1987: by establishment Establishment Number1 Remand centres Ashford 2 Brockhill 3
Establishment Number 1 Cardiff 1 Glen Parva 3 Hull 1 Latchmere House 827 Low Newton 2 Manchester 1 Risley 11 Winchester 2 Prisons Bedford 7 Birmingham 51 Bristol 16 Brixton 7 Camp Hill 1 Canterbury 34 Cardiff 11 Chelmsford 1 Dorchester 3 Durham 6 Foston Hall 92 Gloucester 2 Highpoint 1 Holloway 15 Hull 17 Leeds 16 Leicester 34 Lincoln 3 Oxford 1 Pentonville 34 Reading 3 Shrewsbury 1 Swansea 1 Winchester 10 Wormwood Scrubs 1 Others Erlestoke 90 All Prison Service establishements 1,311 1 The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate, detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost.
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Receptions of persons detained under the Immigration Act 1971 into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales in 1987: by nationality Nationality Number1 Nigeria 213 Ghana 212 Sri Lanka 146 India 114 Bangladesh 82 Turkey 73 Iran 61 Pakistan 53 Algeria 40 Morocco 26 Cyprus 20 United States of America 17 West Indies2 17 Afghanistan 16 Hong Kong 14 Colombia 11 Libya 8 Ethiopia 7 France 7 Italy 6 South Africa 6 Zimbabwe 6 Egypt 5 Lebanon 5 Sierra Leone 5 Sudan 5
Nationality Number1 Other countries3 105 Not recorded 31 ALL NATIONALITIES 1,311 1 The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate: detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost. 2 Includes other Commonwealth countries in the Americas. 3 Where fewer than five were recorded.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations (i) he and (ii) immigration officers received from Members of Parliament during(a) the first quarter of 1988 and (b) the first quarter of 1989 to delay the removal of passengers refused entry at British ports of entry; and, for both periods, how many representations resulted in (i) the delay of the passenger's removal for up to a week, (ii) the delay of the passenger's removal for more than a week and (iii) reversal of the immigration officer's decision.
§ Mr. RentonIn the first quarters of 1988 and 1989 representations received by Ministers resulted in deferment of removal in 382 and 54 cases respectively. I regret that the rest of the information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Admissions to the United Kingdom of British dependent territories citizens (BDTCs) from Hong Kong Number of persons Admission category 1988 Year 1989 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Visitors 4,950 6,350 11,700 5,200 28,200 6,260 Business visitors 1,340 1,370 1,390 1,140 5,230 1,400 Students 350 280 4,720 1,010 6,360 360 Passengers returning 4,920 3,350 4,560 2,300 15,100 5,060 Work permit holders and dependants 50 70 180 60 350 70 Husbands and fiances 1 10 10 10 40 10 Wives and fiancees 1 10 30 20 70 30 In transit, Diplomats and officials and their dependants 1,140 910 1,460 900 4,410 1,210 Settlement on arrival 60 60 120 70 300 40 Others 60 60 120 70 300 40 Total 12,900 12,500 24,200 10,700 60,300 14,500 1 Fewer than 10.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his current policy on enforcing deportation decisions against genuine students who have been found to be working in breach of their conditions of entry; what criteria he uses to define a genuine student for these purposes; and whether he will list the colleges which he does not recognise as providing courses of study for overseas students acceptable under the immigration rules.
§ Mr. RentonAny overseas student who wishes to work during his free time of vacations may do so by obtaining the requisite permission from the Department of Employment. Each case in which a student is found working without such permission is considered on its individual merits: as required by the immigration rules, the case for deportation is considered in the light of all known relevant factors, of which the genuineness of the studies will be of particular significance. As a general rule, however, it is not our practice to remove genuine students under the deportation powers unless their offences are serious or persistent. A genuine student in this sense is one
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§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many wives and dependent children applying for entry clearance in the Indian sub-continent in each quarter since January 1988 were refused(a) on first application and (b) on second or subsequent application.
§ Mr. RentonQuarterly information up to the end of 1988 on the total numbers of wives and children in the Indian sub-continent refused entry clearance to the United Kingdom is published in table 7 of Cm 726, "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom, 1988" a copy of which is in the Library. In the first quarter of 1989, 130 wives and 270 children were initially refused entry clearance. Separate information on first-time applicants and re-applicants is not available centrally.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (1) British nationals and (2) holders of certificates of identity from Hong Kong have been admitted to the United Kingdom in each quarter since January 1988 as(a) persons of independent means, (b) self-employed persons, (c) business people, (d) visitors, (e) students, (f) husbands and fiancés, (g) wives and fiancees and (h) other dependent relatives.
§ Mr. RentonThe available information is given in the following table for BDTCs from Hong Kong. Reliable figures of admissions of stateless persons from Hong Kong are not available.
who at the time meets the requirements of the immigration rules for the grant of leave to enter or remain as a student. The immigration and nationality department does not maintain a list of colleges which are or which are not acceptable for immigration purposes. However, in dealing with individual applications and so on from students, account is taken of any material which is available to the Department about the circumstances of, and courses offered by, the colleges concerned. Case workers are made aware of such material by means of internal notices which form part of the staff instructions for dealing with cases: such instructions are not published.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken by his Department to investigate cases referred from overseas posts in order to assess whether the maintenance and accommodation requirements of the immigration rules have been met.
§ Mr. RentonInquiries into whether the maintenance and accommodation requirements of the immigration 1059W rules are met may be conducted either by correspondence or by interviewing the sponsor (usually when other matters also need to be investigated). Information on the average time taken to complete these inquiries is not available. Where an interview is required, the objective remains, as stated in my reply to a question from the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Lloyd) on 23 March 1989 at column 809, to carry out interviews within three months of receipt of papers in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for British citizenship under section 4(5) of the British Nationality Act 1981 have been(a) made, (b) granted and (c) refused; and how many of those granted have been on the grounds of service in the armed forces.
§ Mr. RentonThe information covering the period January 1983 to 21 July 1989 is as follows:
Servicemen Others Total Received 53 499 552 Granted 52 9 61 Refused — 487 487 Withdrawn 1 — 1 Still under consideration — 3 3 Note: The numbers in the first column are former servicemen in Hong Kong as described in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, East (Mr. Moynihan) on 23 April 1986 at columns 147–48.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance as(a) wives, (b) husbands, (c) fiancés, and (d) fiancees in each British post in all countries apart from those in the Indian sub-continent were (i) granted and (ii) refused in each quarter since January 1988; how many such applications in each category, at each post and in each quarter were refused (1) wholly and (2) partly because of the primary purpose rule; what was the refusal rate at each post; and what percentage of those refusals were (x) wholly and (y) partly on primary purpose grounds.
§ Mr. RentonThe only information requested which is available centrally is that on applications granted and refused in Hong Kong. Information for the fourth quarter of 1988 onwards is given in the table; for information for the first three quarters of 1988, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 20 December 1988 at columns179–80.
Applications in Hong Kong for entry clearance to the United Kingdom Number of persons Applications Granted1 Refused initially Wives 1988 4th quarter 40 — 1989 1st quarter 40 — Husbands, fiancés2 1988 4th quarter 10 — 1989 1st quarter 20 — Fiancées 1988 4th quarter 10 — 1989 1st quarter 10 — 1 Granted initially or on appeal. 2 Data for husbands and fiances separately are not available.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for entry1060W Clearance from (a) wives, (b) husbands, (c) fiancés, and (d)fiancées made at British posts in (1) New Delhi, (2) Bombay, (3) Calcutta, (4) Madras, (5) Dhaka, (6) Islamabad, (7) Karachi, and (8) Colombo for each quarter since January 1988 to the nearest available date were (a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused; how many refusals at each post were (i) wholly and (ii) partly because the visa officer was not satisfied that the primary purpose of the marriage was not immigration; how many refusals at each post were (i) wholly and (ii) partly because the visa officer was not satisfied that the couple could support and accommodate themselves without recourse to public funds; what was the refusal rate at each post and what percentage of those refusals was (x) wholly and (y) partly on primary purpose grounds;
(2) how many applications for settlement by wives and children in (i) Dhaka and (ii) Islamabad were (a) received, (b) granted, (c) refused, (d) deferred at first interview, (e) lapsed and (f) outstanding and awaiting first interview for each quarter since the beginning of 1988.
§ Mr. RentonI shall write to the hon. Member and deposit a copy of the reply in the Library.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the(a) passengers in total and (b) persons treated as illegal entrants who were granted temporary admission in 1988, subsequently absconded.
§ Mr. RentonIn 1988 a total of 401 passengers absconded, either from detention or by failing to respond to the terms of temporary admission. The corresponding figure for illegal entrants is 124. The distinction between those absconding from detention and those failing to respond to the terms of temporary admission/temporary release is not centrally recorded and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many passengers seeking political asylum in(a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988 and (d) 1989 up the nearest available date were granted temporary admission;
(2) whether he will provide a breakdown by nationality of the number of passengers seeking political asylum who were detained under Immigration Act powers in 1988 in (a) prison department establishments and (b) immigration detention accommodation.
§ Mr. RentonThe information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people were detained(a) overnight and (b) for a period of more than one month in (1) Harmondsworth detention centre, (2) the Queen's building, Heathrow, (3) the Beehive Gatwick, and (4) Latchmere house during 1988;
(2) what was the total number of passengers detained overnight under Immigration Act powers during 1988, by nationality.
§ Mr. RentonThe readily available information relates to the number of passengers whose detention spanned at least one night pending further examination on their admission to, or their removal from, the United Kingdom 1061W and is given in the tables. The remaining information is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Table 1: Passengers1 detained overnight in certain locations, 1988 Location Number Harmondsworth 23,688 Queen's Building 1,475 Gatwick South (virtually all at the Beehive) 2,458 1 Excluding illegal entrants and deportees. 2 Some passengers who were detained elsewhere prior to being detained at Harmondsworth are excluded.
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Table 2 Passengers1 detained overnight, by nationality and geographical region: 1988 Nationality/Geographical region Number2 European Community Belgium 2 Denmark 2 France 32 German Federal Republic 10 Greece 3 Italy 9 Luxembourg — Netherlands 7 Portugal 275 Spain 126 European Community 466 Western Europe Austria 13 Cyprus 99 Finland 3 Malta 8 Norway 15 Sweden 14 Switzerland 16 Turkey 1,626 Yogoslavia 214 Western Europe 2,008 Eastern Europe Bulgaria 3 Czechoslovakia 4 German Democratic Republic 5 Hungary 17 Poland 41 Romania — USSR 3 Eastern Europe 73 Americas Argentina 9 Barbados 20 Brazil 196 Canada 29 Chile 30 Colombia 187 Cuba — Guyana 11 Jamaica 193 Mexico 45 Peru 30 Trinidad and Tobago 21 USA 273 Uruguay 1 Venezuela 11 Americas 1,056 Africa Algeria 1,144
Nationality/Geographical region Number2 Egypt 61 Ethiopia 19 Ghana 420 Kenya 87 Libya 25 Mauritius 61 Morocco 423 Nigeria 792 Sierra Leone 83 Somalia 94 South Africa 43 Sudan 45 Tanzania 40 Tunisia 110 Uganda 427 Zambia 23 Zimbabwe 31 Africa 3,928 Indian sub-continent Bangladesh 371 India 517 Pakistan 586 Indian sub-continent 1,474 Middle East Iran 211 Iraq 91 Israel 64 Jordan 13 Kuwait 2 Lebanon 110 Saudi Arabia 12 Syria 9 Middle East 512 Remainder of Asia China 9 Indonesia 5 Japan 91 Malaysia 188 Philippines 37 Singapore 43 Sri Lanka 274 Thailand 35 BDTC Hong Kong 97 Remainder of Asia 779 Australasia Australia 28 New Zealand 17 Australasia 45 British Overseas citizens 31 Other countries not elsewhere specified 422 Stateless 276 All Nationalities 11,070 1 Excluding illegal entrants and deportees. 2 The figures include a small amount of double counting when a passenger is detained at more than one location.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons detained under Immigration Act powers applied to the Home Office to be allowed to depart voluntarily under the supervised departure provisions of the immigration rules in each quarter since January 1988.
§ Mr. RentonThe readily available information on the numbers of persons removed under the supervised departure procedures is published in table 14 of the statistical bulletin issue 23/89 "Control of Immigration Statistics—First Quarter 1989", a copy of which is in the 1063W Library. Most of these persons would have been detained prior to departure. A number would have been subject to restrictions as an alternative to detention but such cases could be separately identified only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were recommended for deportation with no custodial sentence during 1988; and in how many such cases the courts directed release(a) subject to conditions and (b) without conditions.
§ Mr. RentonDuring 1988, a total of 152 persons were recommended for deportation by the courts with no custodial sentence. The courts directed release subject to restrictions in 44 cases and without restrictions in 66 cases.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his best estimate as to how many applications for(a) adult registration with entitlement, (b) naturalisation and (c) registration of minors his Department (i) will receive and (ii) expects to grant in 1989–90.
§ Mr. RentonInformation is not available in the form requested. We estimate that in the financial year 1989–90 we will receive the following applications:
Numbers Registration of adults 3,000 Registration of minors 12,000 Naturalisation 32,000
Estimated numbers of applicants in the Indian sub-continent on 31 March 1989 awaiting their first interview for entry to the United Kingdom Number of persons Post Category 1 Queue 1 Queue 2 Queue 3 Queue 4 Queue 5 Dhaka 150 1,100 170 1,800 — New Delhi2 — 250 270 80 260 Bombay 40 490 460 80 30 Calcutta — — — — — Madras 3— 20 10 — 10 Islamabad 1,100 1,700 1,900 860 n/a Karachi 10 120 40 3— 40 Total Indian sub-continent 1,300 3,600 2,800 2,800 n/a 1 Queue 1: Persons with a claim to the right of abode, dependent relatives over 70 years old, and special compassionate cases (first-time applicants for settlement. Queue 2: Spouses, and children under 18 years old (first-time applicants for settlement). Queue 3: Fiance(e)s, and other applicants (first-time applicants for settlement). Queue 4: Re-applicants for settlement. Queue 5: Other applicants (not for settlement). 2 Date exclude Afghans seeking political asylum in the United Kingdom. 3 = five or fewer. n/a = Not available.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance as working holiday makers have been(a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused in (i) India, (ii) Bangladesh, (iii) Australia and (iv) Canada during 1988 and 1989.
§ Mr. RentonThe information requested is not available centrally.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were waiting for special quota vouchers in (i) India and (ii) East Africa in
1064WIn the same period we expect to grant about 103,000 registrations of all kinds and about 28,000 naturalisations.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time taken to process applications for(a) registration and (b) naturalisation; and how long those applying in both of those categories in December 1988 can expect to wait.
§ Mr. RentonThe average time taken to complete applications for citizenship granted in June 1989 was 18 months for registrations and 23 months for naturalisations.
It is not possible to estimate how long, on average, it will be before decisions will be reached on applications received during December 1988. But I expect decisions to be reached on the last of the transitional registrations no later than January 1990, and from then onwards the use of the resources of the Liverpool nationality office to process naturalisations should result in a steady improvement in the time taken to complete those cases.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men, (b) women and (c) children, were waiting in each queue at each post in the Indian sub-continent on 31 March 1989.
§ Mr. RentonInformation on the estimated total numbers in each queue is given in the following table; separate information on men, women and children is not available centrally.
(a) May 1988 and (b) December 1988; when those issued with vouchers on those dates had applied; how many vouchers were issued in (i) India and (ii) East Africa in (a) 1988 and (b) the first quarter of 1989; when those applying can now expect to receive vouchers; and how many applicants there were for vouchers in (i) India and (ii) East Africa in (a) 1988 and (b) the first half of 1989.
§ Mr. RentonI shall write to the hon. Member and deposit a copy of the reply in the Library.