HC Deb 23 February 1990 vol 167 cc958-9W
Mr. Malins

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to impose a visa requirement on nationals of Algeria, Morocco or Tunisia who wish to enter the United Kingdom.

Mr. Waddington

I will shortly lay before Parliament a statement of changes in the immigration rules which will include provisions requiring nationals of Algeria, Morocco or Tunisia to obtain visas before travelling to the United Kingdom. The Governments of the three countries have been informed, and the necessary formal notice of one month under our agreements for the abolition of visas with Morocco (1958, Cm. 623) and Tunisia (1962, Cm. 1989) will be given to those two Governments. The United Kingdom has no such agreement with Algeria. The new visa requirements will come into effect on 1 April.

This change, like that in June 1989 in respect of Turkey, should be seen in the context of the increasingly close co-operation between the member states of the European Community on immigration matters. EC Ministers with responsibility for immigration matters have for some time had under consideration possible additions to the list of countries for whose nationals all member states require visas; and among the countries which have been given particular consideration in this context are Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. A majority of member states already require visas of Algerian and Moroccan nationals, and six member states already require visas of Tunisian nationals. In the light of increasing operating difficulties with nationals of these countries, the Government have decided that the time has come for the United Kingdom also to require visas of all three nationalities. Growing numbers of nationals of these countries are proving ineligible for entry on arrival at United Kingdom ports. This had placed strains on the immigration control and created delays and inconvenience for passengers.

The introduction of these visa requirements should benefit all bona fide travellers, who will know before they depart that they are eligible for admission to the United Kingdom, and will be less likely to encounter delays on arrival. Our visa issuing posts in the three countries are being strengthened to ensure an efficient service. Regular visitors to this country will be eligible for multiple-entry visas.