HC Deb 25 July 1988 vol 138 cc41-4W
Ms. Richardson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many children(a) under the age of five years, (b) between the ages of five and 15 years, and (c) between the ages of 16 and 18 years, were detained under Immigration Act powers by individual Immigration Act detention centres in each of the years 1985, 1986 and 1987;

(2) what was the average length of time spent in detention by the children detained under the Immigration Act powers (a) under the age of five years (b) between the ages of five and 15 years and (c) between the ages of 16 and 18 years in each of the years in 1985, 1986 and 1987;

(3) how many children (a) under the age of five years (b) between the ages of five and 15 years and (c) between the ages of 16 and 18 years were detained under the Immigration Act powers by nationality in each of the years 1985, 1986 and 1987.

Mr. Renton

The information requested is not centrally recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Tom Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987.

Mr. Renton

None. The Act creates a liability which is pursuable in the civil courts: no such proceedings have yet been instituted.

Mr. Madden

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for(a) single entry and (b) multiple entry visit visas were (i) received, (ii) granted and (iii) refused at each post in (x) the Indian subcontinent, (y) Ghana and (z) Nigeria in each quarter of 1987 and the first quarter of 1988; and what was the delay between application and interview of those whose applications were felt to need a second or long interview at each of the above posts in (1) January 1987, (2) June 1987, (3) January 1988 and (4) the nearest available date.

Mr. Renton

[holding answer 20 July 1988]: The information available on applications for a visit visa is given in the following tables. Separate information on applications for single entry and multiple entry visas is not available.

Table 1 Persons applying for a visit visa to the United Kingdom
Number of persons
Post Applications
Newiy received1 Granted2 Refused initially
Dhaka
1987
1st quarter 1,600 1,130 370
2nd quarter 2,770 2,070 490
3rd quarter 2,700 1,970 480
4th quarter 1,710 1,190 320
Year 8,790 6,360 1,670
1988
1st quarter 2,020 1,410 380
New Delhi
1987
1st quarter 6,680 5,590 590
2nd quarter 14,640 13,490 1,240
3rd quarter 11,000 9,620 1,050
4th quarter 6,380 5,410 750
Year 38,700 34,100 3,620
1988
1st quarter 7,120 5,740 800
Bombay
1987
1st quarter 6,540 5,910 120
2nd quarter 17,820 17,000 360
3rd quarter 10,900 10,120 340
4th quarter 5,390 4,980 280
Year 40,660 38,020 1,100
1988
1st quarter 6,650 6,230 260

Post Applications
Newly received1 Granted2 Refused initially
Calcutta
1987
1st quarter 1,040 1,010 10
2nd quarter 3,000 29,70 10
3rd quarter 2,340 2,300 50
4th quarter 860 820 30
Year 7,240 7,100 90
1988
1st quarter 880 850 20
Madras
1987
1st quarter 1,580 1,490 40
2nd quarter 3,390 3,320 50
3rd quarter 2,720 2,640 30
4th quarter 1,100 1,060 30
Year 8,800 8,500 150
1988
lst quarter 1,300 1,280 10
Islamabad
1987
1st quarter 5,880 4,510 590
2nd quarter 11,680 9,080 1,530
3rd quarter 8,780 6,350 1,760
4th quarter 5,240 3,330 1,340
Year 31,590 23,260 5,230
1988
1st quarter 5,650 4,000 1,480
Karachi
1987
1st quarter 4,330 3,870 400
2nd quarter 9,990 9,170 480
3rd quarter 7,340 6,230 710
4th quarter 3,700 2,920 540
Year 25,270 22,200 2,130
1988
1st quarter 4,000 3,310 450
Accra
1987
1st quarter 2,620 1,700 740
2nd quarter 2,600 1,990 530
3rd quarter 3,540 2,910 650
4th quarter 1,490 1,320 180
Year 10,240 7,920 2,100
1988
1st quarter 1,430 1,180 160
Lagos
1987
1st quarter3 3,310 3,060 170
2nd quarter 14,550 12,300 1,060
3rd quarter 14,500 12,940 970
4th quarter 10,490 9,080 900
Year3 42,850 37,380 3,100
1988
1st quarter 9,430 8,380 710
Kaduna
1987
1st quarter3 2,620 2,360 70
2nd quarter 2,200 1,870 110
3rd quarter 2,530 2,270 160
4th quarter 1,690 1,480 190
Year3 9,040 7,980 530
1988
1st quarter 1,470 1,280 120

1 Including applications subsequently withdrawn.

2 Granted initially or on appeal.

3 From 1 February 1987 when the visa requirement for Nigerians was introduced.

Table 2 Wailing time for persons applying for a visit visa who required a lengthy interview
Number of days
Waiting time for persons interviewed at end of period
Post Dec. 1986 June 1987 Dec. 1987 May 1988
Dhaka
New Delhi 10
Bombay 5 4 1 14
Calcutta
Madras 3 3 2
Islamabad
Karachi
Accra 14 5 2 113
Lagos 2 1 1 1
Kaduna 2
— Same day.
1 Figure for end of April 1988.
2 Visa requirement for Nigerians was not introduced until 1 February 1987.