HC Deb 07 December 1989 vol 163 cc395-6W
Mr. Cartwright

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent investigations have been undertaken by officers of the immigration service into fraudulent marriages of convenience; and with what results.

Mr. Cartwright

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will investigate the extent to which fraudulent marriages are used as a means of evading the immigration rules; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Inquiries over the last 18 months have revealed evidence of possible wrongdoing in a number of cases involving applications for settlement on the basis of marriage. These inquiries are continuing.

Mr. Cartwright

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had that the personal data of British citizens held at the general registry office are being misused in connection with fraudulent marriages of convenience; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Poole (Mr. Ward) on 31 October 1989 at column114.

Mr. Vaz

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many meetings Ministers in his Department have had on immigration cases with hon. and right hon. Members for each month of the current year.

Mr. Waddington

In addition to telephone conversations and other personal exchanges, Ministers have held formal meetings with right hon. and hon. Members as follows:

Meetings
January 2
February 4
March 4
April 2
May 2
June 6
July 12
August 0
September 0
October 0
November 3
December 1

Mr. Cartwright

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the adequacy of staffing levels of the immigration service at Isis house, SE1 to deal with the volume of immigration offences; and whether he has any plans to increase staffing levels.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The allocation of staff within the immigration service is kept under regular review to ensure the most effective and efficient use of available resources. As far as staffing for future years is concerned, I invite the hon. Member to await the publication in the new year of the Government's public expenditure White Paper.