§ Mr. CummingsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what measures his Department is proposing to take to protect Filipino women resident in the United Kingdom as a result of arranged marriages through commercial marriage bureaux who are subsequently deserted by their British husbands;
(2) what steps his Department is taking to monitor and regulate the activities of British-based marriage bureaux who are operating in the Philippines and other developing countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RentonRelevant provisions are already in place under the immigration rules. As a result of the Immigration Act 1988, the rules have since August provided that neither a husband nor a wife may be admitted to the United Kingdom as the spouse of any person (including British citizens) settled here unless the entry clearance officer is satisfied that the marriage was not entered into primarily to obtain admission to this country and that the couple intend to live together permanently as husband and wife.
Persons admitted as spouses are given leave to remain for 12 months in the first instance. At the end of that period, a spouse may be given indefinite leave to remain provided that the marriage has not been terminated and the intention of the parties remains to live together permanently as husband and wife. If the marriage is not subsisting at the end of that period, an application for further leave to remain may be refused. Each case is, however, considered on its merits.
The Government have no present plans either to change the rules in this respect or for legislation in respect of marriage bureaux.