HL Deb 14 December 1988 vol 502 cc1017-8WA
Baroness Gardner of Parkes

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When the revised guidelines on the handling of representations by Members of Parliament and Peers in immigration cases will come into effect; and if they will make a statement.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has made certain amendments to the provisions of the draft revised guidelines, a copy of which he placed in the Library on 18th July, in the light of points made in the course of a debate on 10th November in another place. My right honourable friend has today placed a copy of the final text of the revised guidelines in the Library. The revised guidelines will be implemented on 3rd January 1989 in respect of all representations received on or after that date.

The revised guidelines continue to provide specific advice for Peers wishing to make representations in individual immigration cases and in particular remind Peers that they will be assumed first to have consulted the constituency Member in another place.

The separate but similar guidelines also issued on 18th July by my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary in connection with representations by members of Parliament and Peers about the operation of the immigration control overseas will also come into effect as from 3rd January 1989.