§ Ms Oona KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the numbers of staff required by the Travel Document Section to prevent the backlog of applications increasing. [133218]
§ Mr. BoatengSince autumn 1999 the number of staff in the Travel Document Section has increased from 20 to more than 90, which is nearly at full complement. Once the present backlog has been eliminated, and in the absence of any unforeseen circumstances, present staff levels should prevent an increase in the backlog of applications.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to registration officers regarding checks on the passports of persons intending to marry; if the registration officers are explicitly instructed not to check that any visas in passports are valid; what guidance has been issued to registration officers who discover that a visa has expired; and if he will make a statement. [131324]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 18 July 2000]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Registrar General. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Lidington, dated 28 July 2000:
As Registrar General I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the checking of passports of persons intending to marry. (131324).I have not issued any guidance to registration officers regrading checks on passports or the validity of visas in passports of persons intending to marry, nor on any action to follow the discovery of an expired visa.1154WRegistration officers should request documentation showing use and spellings of names and detail of age, marital status and nationality in order to verify that the particulars to be entered in the notice of marriage are accurate. A variety of documents may be produced, including a passport.The fact that someone has overstayed their permitted stay in the UK is not a lawful impediment to marriage.