§ Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why waiting times for the main settlement queues are so much longer in Pakistan and Bangladesh than in India; and what steps he is taking to reduce them.
§ Mr. LuardLarge numbers of new applications continue to be received in Pakistan. In Bangladesh there has been some reduction in the rate of new applications but there is still a long queue. In India, especially in New Delhi, the number of new applications has fallen and the waiting time in New Delhi has shortened considerably. Some staff have already been transferred from New660W Delhi to Dacca in consequence, and further reinforcement will be sent to Dacca soon.
§ Mr. Grocottasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average waiting time between being interviewed for entry permits and arriving in Great Britain for (a) wives and (b) husbands from the Indian sub-continent.
§ Mr. LuardWhen an applicant is interviewed and granted entry clearance the appropriate permit—an entry certificate in the case of India and Bangladesh and a visa in the case of Pakistan—is immediately placed in his passport. Such entry clearances are valid for six months. No records are available to show the average time which applicants take to use them.