HC Deb 24 February 1989 vol 147 cc837-8W
Mrs. Wise

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many naturalisation applications made(a) two or more years ago and (b) three or more years ago are still outstanding.

Mr. Renton

On 16 February 1989, 3,447 applications for naturalisation made two or more years ago were still outstanding, of which 801 were made three or more years ago.

Mrs. Wise

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will increase the number of staff employed to handle naturalisation applications.

Mr. Renton

This has already been done, and will continue. The Liverpool nationality office (LNO) which opened last August now has 111 case working staff processing registrations. This has allowed nationality division staff in Croydon to concentrate almost exclusively on naturalisations. When the LNO has completed the registrations, it too will work on naturalisations, representing an additional increase of almost 65 per cent. in naturalisation caseworking capacity.