§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extra staff have been employed at Lunar house since 19 May; and in what capacities.
§ Mr. RentonIn my reply to the hon. Members for Motherwell, North (Dr. Reid) and for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng) on 19 May, at column533, I said that vigorous steps would be taken to recruit some 100 additional staff for the immigration and nationality department at Lunar house during the current financial year. As a result of these efforts, a net additional total of 83 staff have so far been recruited for general administrative work.
I also said on 19 May, at column 533, that we planned to recruit more than 100 staff outside London to deal with the influx of citizenship applications. We have recruited 121 staff to man the new nationality office which was opened on 22 August at Liverpool specifically for this work.