§ Mr. Dickensasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on admitting child spouses to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. WaddingtonThe present immigration rules provide for the admission of spouses subject to certain requirements. Immediate steps are being taken to change the immigration rules to prevent the entry as spouses of children under the age of 16.
§ Mr. Dickensasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Elham Bahrami was permitted to enter the United Kingdom from Iran as a spouse, despite being aged 12 years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaddingtonElham Bahrami was issued with a visa to come to this country at the British interests section of the Swedish embassy in Tehran under the immigration rules, after it had been established that her marriage was valid according to the law of Iran and would be recognised as valid under English laws because both parties to the marriage were domiciled in Iran. Immediate steps are being taken to change the immigration rules to prevent the entry as spouses of children under the age of 16.
§ Mr. Dickensasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many child spouses are known to have been allowed to enter the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. WaddingtonIt has never been thought necessary to keep statistics of the age of spouses entering the country but immediate steps are being taken to change the immigration rules to prevent the entry as spouses of children under the age of 16.