§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the maximum, minimum and average times taken between the deferral of a decision on a settlement application and the interviewing of the sponsor in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. RentonThe information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men, (b) women and (c) children were waiting in each queue at each post in the Indian sub-continent on 31 March.
§ Mr. RentonInformation on the total numbers in each queue is given in the table; separate information on men, women and children is not available centrally.
(1) 1987 and (2) the first quarter of 1988; when those applying now can expect to receive vouchers; and how many applicants there were for vouchers in (i) India and (ii) East Africa in (A) 1987 and (B) the first half of 1988.
§ Mr. RentonThe information which is currently available centrally is given in the tables:
635W1 Including applications subsequently withdrawn or lapsed.
2 5 or fewer.
Table 2 Waiting times for persons applying for a special voucher Months Country Waiting time to main interview for Persons interviewed at end of month Persons applying at end of month1 May 1987 December 1987 March 1988 India2 94 84 less than 36 Kenya 1½ 1½ 2½ Tanzania 1 1 1 Malawi 1½ 2 2 Zambia 1 1 1 1 Data relate to expected waiting times. 2 Data relate to non-priority applicants. Priority applicants (ie widows with a child in the United Kingdom, heads of household aged 65 or over, and special compassionate cases) are interviewed within three months.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for settlement by wives and children in (i) Dhaka and (ii) Islamabad were(a) received, (b) granted, (c) refused, (d) deferred
Wives and children applying for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom1 Number of persons Applications Post Newly received Granted2 Refused initially Referred or deferred3 Withdrawn or lapsed Awaiting first interview at end of period Dhaka 1987 1st quarter 2,050 1,690 300 1,230 550 4,300 2nd quarter 1,860 1,170 370 880 510 4,300 3rd quarter 1,570 870 290 900 360 4,300 4th quarter 1,360 920 240 910 320 4,100 Year 6,840 4,660 1,200 3,910 1,740 4,100 1988 1st quarter 1,640 1,490 440 920 410 3,700 Islamabad 1987 1st quarter 1,080 980 140 110 250 1,700 2nd quarter 1,080 820 100 80 130 1,900 3rd quarter 950 730 80 110 110 1,800 4th quarter 1,290 720 60 90 220 2,200 Year 4,410 3,260 390 390 700 2,200 1988 1st quarter 1,250 900 80 800 210 2,100 1 Including persons considered for a certificate of entitlement to, or confirmation of, the right of abode in the United Kingdom. 2 Granted initially or on appeal. 3 Referred to Home Office for decision or deferred for further inquiries.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance as(a) wives, (b) husbands, (c) fiancés and (d) fiancées in each British post in all countries apart from those of the Indian sub-continent were (i) granted and (ii) refused, for each quarter since January 1987; how many such applications in each category, at each post and in each quarter were refused (1) wholly and (2) partly because of the primary purpose rule; what was the refusal rate at each post; and what percentage of those refusals were (A) wholly and (B) partly on primary purpose grounds.
§ Mr. RentonThe only information requested which is available centrally is that on applications granted and refused in Hong Kong, and is given in the table:
636Wat first interview, (e) lapsed and (f) outstanding and awaiting first interview, For each quarter since the beginning of 1987.
§ Mr. RentonThe information requested is given in the table.
637W
Applications in Hong Kong for entry clearance to the United Kingdom Number of persons Applications Granted1 Refused initially Wives 1987 1st quarter 40 — 2nd quarter 40 — 3rd quarter 50 + 4th quarter 60 + Year 180 + 1988 1st quarter 50 + Husbands, fiancés2 1987 1st quarter 10 — 2nd quarter 10 + 3rd quarter 10 + 4th quarter 20 — Year 50 +
Applications Granted1 Refused initially 1988 1st quarter 20 - Fiancées 1987 1st quarter + - 2nd quarter + + 3rd quarter 10 - 4th quarter 10 - Year 30 + 1988 1st quarter 10 - + Five or fewer. - Nil. 1 Granted initially or on appeal. 2 Data for husbands and fiancés separately are not available.