§ Mr. McCrindleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Commonwealth immigrants have been allowed to settle in Britain in each of the last five years; what were the comparable figures for the previous five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RentonThe number of Commonwealth citizens accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom in each of the years 1979–88 is published in table 22 of "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 1987" (Cm. 415) and in table 1 of Home Office statistical bulletin issue 10/89, "Control of Immigration: Statistics—Fourth Quarter and Year 1988", copies of which are in the Library.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals left the United Kingdom under the supervised departure procedure without having been served with a notice of intention to deport in each month of 1988 and 1989.
§ Mr. RentonSupervised departure may be authorised, as an alternative to deportation, either under section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1971 if a court makes a recommendation for deportation, or under section 3(5) following the issue of a notice of intention to deport. The latest available information on the use of supervised departure is contained in table 14 of Home Office statistical bulletin 10/89 "Control of Immigration: Statistics—Fourth Quarter and Year 1988", a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Mr. DarlingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to amend the immigration rules: and what consultations he has held in that regard.
§ Mr. RentonWe have it in mind to make some changes to the immigration rules in the next few months. We have not launched formal consultations, but there has been some discussion of possible changes to the rules with the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants and the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association.