§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Indian languages are spoken by the immigration officers being sent to India.
§ Mr. EggarOne officer is qualified in Punjabi and one in Gujerati, with a working knowledge of Urdu.
§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what training in Indian languages his Department proposes to give to each of the new entry clearance officers for India.
New Delhi Bombay Calcutta Madras 15–27 October 2 3 1 3 28 October 2 9 November 1 Authority has been given to posts to recruit 14 additional locally engaged staff in the interpreter-clerical grade. It has been left to local management to decide how many of the 14 need to be interpreters. The individual cost of each interpreter is not recorded centrally, but their average salary is £2,337 per annum.
§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will open a consulate in Ahmedabad and station entry clearance officers there.
§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are proposed for dealing with emergency applications for visas by relatives of United Kingdom citizens in India, in case of severe illness or death.
§ Mr. EggarArrangements already exist at all our missions to India for dealing urgently with visa applications in cases of genuine emergency, such as illness or bereavement.