HC Deb 20 May 1985 vol 79 cc269-70W
Ms. Clare Short

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of decisions to allow or refuse entry under the primary purpose rule for each quarter since the rules were changed in 1983.

Mr. Waddington

Information is available only for the Indian subcontinent and is given in the table.

Applications from husbands and fiances for entry clearance for leave to enter the United kingdom decided * under the 1983 immigration rules.
Indian subcontinent Number of persons
1983
1st quarter 410
2nd quarter 380
3rd quarter 500
4th quarter 680
1984
1st quarter 680
2nd quarter 610
3rd quarter 630
4th quarter 540
* Applications granted initially or on appeal or refused initially.

Ms. Clare Short

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what percentage of all the decisions to allow or refuse entry clearance were based, either wholly or partly, on the primary purpose rule, in the second, third and fourth quarters of 1984;

(2) what percentage of all the refusals of entry clearance were based, either wholly or partly, on the primary purpose rule in the second, third and fourth quarters of 1984.

Mr. Waddington

The information requested is available only for the Indian subcontinent. Applications for entry clearance from husbands and fiances refused solely or partly because of the primary purpose rule accounted for about 40 per cent. of all applications decided, and about 80 to 90 per cent. of all applications refused in each of the last three-quarters of 1984.