§ 46. Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has now taken to reduce the delay in dealing with appeals against the refusal of entry certificates to relatives of legal immigrants already in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. LaneA number of steps have been taken. The staff available in the Home Office to deal with this work has been substantially increased. There has also been a procedural change which will reduce the time taken where the decision appealed against was made by the entry certificate officer without reference to the Home Office; in those cases the appeal papers are now sent direct to the appellate authorities without going through the Home Office.