§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the mandate of the Committee on the introduction of a uniform format for visas is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the United Kingdom representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [57471]
§ Beverley HughesThe mandate for the Committee on uniform format visas is Article 6 of Council Regulation (EC) 1683/95 of 29 May 1995 laying down a uniform format for visas. This Regulation has since been amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 334/2002 of 18 February 2002 which introduced new technical requirements for the uniform format for visas and maintained the mandate of the Article 6 Committee.
The Committee has met four times during the last 12 months.
804WUnited Kingdom representation on the Committee usually comprises the Inspector and a Chief Immigration Officer from the Immigration Service National Forgery Section (the Immigration Service centre of expertise on travel document security and abuse) and a representative from the United Kingdom Visas (a joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office unit responsible for visa related matters).
Precise figures for the annual cost of the Committee's work on public funds are not available. However, travel costs to meetings for one member of the United Kingdom delegation are reimbursed by the Commission.
Currently under consideration by the Committee is its standing mandate of a general review of security and standards of performance of the uniform format visa with a view to enhancement of security safeguards as considered appropriate and necessary. In particular at present, the Committee is considering technical specifications to implement Council Regulation (EC) No. 334/2002 which requires integration into the visa of a photograph produced according to high security standards. The Committee is also currently mandated by Council Regulation (EC) No 333/2002 for a uniform format for a form for affixing the visa issued by a member state to a person holding a travel document not recognised by that member state. The Regulation requires the Committee to set specification for the form that meet high technical standards, in particular as regards safeguards against counterfeiting and falsification.
Regulations covering the mandate of the Committee have been considered and cleared by parliamentary scrutiny.
§ Mr. LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what targets he sets for his Department to respond to a request for information from an overseas post in cases for applications for a settlement visa for spouses of UK nationals. [58049]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 23 May 2002]: The internal target for responding to requests for information from posts abroad is 90 per cent. within two weeks of receipt of the request. The earliest outstanding request was received on 14 February 2002.
§ Mr. LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time is for a response to a request for information from the Democratic Republic of Congo in cases for applications for a settlement visa for spouses of UK nationals. [58050]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 23 May 2002]: Performance information in this area of work is not collated on a country of origin basis.