§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Attorney-General what is the average cost to public funds of all work in connection with an appeal against refusal of entry to the United Kingdom including the time expended in preparing the entry clearance officers' report, the appeal hearing and the ultimate determination of the case.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe average cost to public funds of all work in connection with an appeal against refusal of entry to the United Kingdom is not readily identifiable. The Home Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Lord Chancellor's Department all incur expenditure in relation to such appeals but it is not possible for those Departments to identify separately costs attributable to particular types of work related to appeals against refusal of entry only.
However, the average cost to the FCO of preparing an entry clearance officers' explanatory statement in 1987—88 (the last complete year for which figures are available) was estimated to be £85. The average cost to the Lord Chancellor's Department of the work done by the immigration appelate authorities in hearing and determining an appeal against refusal of entry is currently estimated to be £113.