§ Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken between a person appealing against refusal of leave to enter the United Kingdom and such appeal being heard; and if he will give these details (a) in terms of the general situation and (b) especially for Islamabad, Pakistan.
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§ Mr. JohnI assume that the hon. Member is referring to appeals against the refusal of entry clearance. The average time which elapses between notice of appeal being received and the appeal being heard by the appellate authorities is, very approximately, nine to 12 months, but this average conceals wide variations from post to post in preparing explanatory statements as well as between different appeal centres in setting cases down for hearing. The time taken to deal with appeals in Islamabad cases is about the average.