§ Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 9 December 1991,Official Report, column 321 on Iraqi nuclear scientists, if he will list the categories used by his Department for recording entry visas issued to people from Iraq from 1979 onwards.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydRecords are maintained according to the category of visa issued—that is, visit, settlement, and categories. In cases where visit or student visas are issued, application forms are retained for two years and then destroyed. No separate record is kept of an applicant's personal details or profession. In cases where visas are issued to settlement or other long-term applicants, application forms, and index cards recording the applicant's personal details—but not profession—are retained for 10 years.