§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on(a) the level of service for immigration cases provided by HM high commission, Islamabad and (b) his future plans for that service. [145395]
§ Mr. MullinAs a result of the security situation in Pakistan our high commission has operated for a substantial period with severely reduced staff. This reduced our visa section in Islamabad's capacity to provide a full service. In recent months service levels have improved significantly.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is committed to restoring a full visa service in Pakistan as soon as is practical and the security situation allows. It was announced by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Trade and Industry on 10 December 2003 during his recent visit to Pakistan that the service has been further expanded to include business visitors, and certain categories of permit free employment; including those who wish to set up a business in the UK, sole representatives, investors and retired persons of independent means. This is further to the expansion of services which was implemented on 17 November 2003 to include applications from visitors who have travelled to the UK, Canada. Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America within the last 10 years, fiance(e) s applying to settle in the UK, EEA family members and others applying for family reunion. We are committed to reducing the waiting and processing times of all applications and gradually increasing service levels with a view to implementing a full service by April 2004 at a reasonable level of demand. A copy of the Minister's statement is available on the British high commission's website: www.britainonline.org.pk/british-government statements-and-press-releases.
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many appeals from Pakistan against the refusal of entry clearance for settlement by(a) spouses, (b) fiancés, (c) dependent children and (d) dependent elderly relatives are waiting to be processed by UK visas. [145400]
§ Mr. MullinAppeals against the refusal of entry clearance for settlement are processed in the UK by the Appeals Processing Centre of the Home Office. Our high commission in Islamabad currently has 575 settlement appeals awaiting despatch to the Appeals88W Processing Centre of the Home Office. To break down the information further as requested by the hon. Member could be provided only at disproportionate cost by deploying high commission staff to review each of the appeals individually.